The Many Shades of My Revenge
by echolex
Summary: Angel of the fallen, you shall heed the call, You shall use your gifts of shadow to prevent a squall, In four years time, the world shall rise anew, Together you shall unite all half bloods and the Argo II, You shall make a choice, both will cause unbearable pain, In order to end Mother Nature's eternal reign...
1. Prologue

When I was small, I used to think that the heroes always saved the day. They would go on perilous journeys, meet friends along the way, and defeat their evil foes. Heroes were always dependable. They never let you down.

Boy, how wrong I was.

Here I am, knee-deep in the blood soaked earth, cradling my dying sister, fat, blurry

tears streaming down my cheeks, contemplating how everything became so _horrendous_ in a matter of mere minutes. The piercing sound of ringing in my ears, the weight of dread deep, deep in my hollow heart, and the body-littered battlefield around me was my only answer.

"Nico…" Hazel murmured weakly. _My little sister is dying, _I thought numbly. _How could I let this happen?_

"Hazel, I'm sorry… I've failed you. I failed you just like Bianca," I cried, dimly aware of the screams surrounding me. The smell of fear, blood, and sweat in the suffocating air.

"No, you didn't fail me Nico. You gave me a second chance at life, and I've enjoyed every moment of it… every moment with you," she coughed violently and winced. Every breath she inhaled looked like it hurt.

I shook my head frantically. This is my fault, it's all my fault. "I should've stayed with you, after what happened to the rest of the Seven…" I trailed off, both of us didn't need to be reminded of the unspeakable deaths our friends experienced.

Percy and Annabeth were the lucky ones. They died together, both impaled by sharp stalagmites that rose from the Earth. It was a merciful death compared to most of the fallen demigods. Jason's string was clipped shortly after Piper's, both overwhelmed by the Earthborne that swarmed them under Mother Earth's command. Leo lost his life trying to scorch the enemy forces; he too was killed somewhere in the sea of chaos. As for Frank, he died valiantly leading his Roman soldiers into battle, but even sons of Mars couldn't make it out of this war. Reyna? I can feel her soul still residing in her body, although I can't make out what state she's in.

Gaea and her Giants are winning. We're all fighting a hopeless war in vain.

No deities from above are going to help us—not now, not _ever._

The ringing roared in my ears now, the cacophonous sound echoing, taunting me. _Say goodbye, _I prodded myself mentally. _Before you regret it for the rest of your life. Say goodbye, no matter how much it hurts._

I forced the bile rising in my throat back down. She's too young to die, and yet the daughter of Pluto prepared herself to face death once again, with nothing but love and determination shining in her eyes.

"I love you Hazel. Never forget it, okay? I am _so proud of you."_

She gave me a warm, sweet smile. My mind tried to capture the image one last time to remember her. She isn't the quiet, shy, and timid girl she once was. She long since grew into the kind, fierce, and powerful Roman warrior that stared back at me. I knew father would be proud.

"I love you too, Neeks. I'll wait for you," she whispered. I saw the light leave her beautiful golden eyes, rendering them a dull copper color—the everlasting shade of her soul.

I wept over my sister's corpse, my blood-stained hands clutching her like a life-line. The Seven are dead. All hope is lost.

_I'm next, _I realized. Fire ignited in my heart; white, hot, and _angry. _Gaea and her Giants will pay for every hope, for every life taken, for every loved one forced to say goodbye. I'll kill her, and if she takes me first, I'll drag her down with me.

_Little Angel, why do you still fight? _Gaea's gentle voice, like poisoned honey, reverberated in my skull. I rose shakily on my feet and reached for my Stygian Iron sword. The ground trembled around me and the shadows cowered in fear.

Mother Earth messed with the wrong Angel. I didn't fall out of heaven, I crawled out of Tartarus.

Now I'm out for revenge.


	2. Chapter 1: When in Doubt, Stealth It Out

My eyes surveyed the battlefield, tracing the outlines of each bloody body laying still on the wrangled dirt, a thousand empty eyes staring blankly toward the red sky. The ringing continued to roar in my ears, reaching a high crescendo when someone died, only to retreat to a low hum. It was the never ending tune of death.

"Little Angel, where are you hiding?" Mother Earth's hypnotic voice boomed across the land.

She doesn't know where I am, I realized, and a spark of hope simmered inside me. A skeleton of a plan began to form in my mind. Maybe I don't need to be stronger, or faster, or even have more firepower. Maybe I just need the element of surprise.

My brain went into strategy mode, taking in each hiding place, counting every enemy, and tallying up all the remaining demigods around me. Various covers are strewn on the terrain, so maneuvering undetected shouldn't be too big of a problem. However, the ratio of demigod to monster is severely low, ranging from 1:6, and with the rate at which we're dying, a head-on attack would be suicidal. Given the current situation, our best bet at winning is a covert attack, something even Gaea wouldn't expect, as Greco-Roman tactics usually don't involve stealth.

I spotted Reyna slicing and dicing a yard or two ahead of me. As nimbly as I could, I sprinted to her, ready to share my plan.

"Reyna!" I called loud enough for her to hear. She whirled, her dark coiled braid whipping in the gust of wind around her, a wild look in her eyes. Her Imperial gold armor glinted in the red sun and her purple Praetor garbs were in shreds.

"Nico? My gods you're alive?!" her dark eyes widened in utter disbelief, though she snapped out of shock surprisingly quick to stab a dracaena who creeped up from behind. "Are the Seven…?"

I looked away, unable to meet her eyes. She must have noticed the tears threatening to fall onto my cheeks, and wisely chose to shut her mouth.

"I have a plan," I proposed uncertainly. "I don't know if it will work, but it's the best course of action I can think of at the moment."

Reyna furrowed her eyebrows in curiosity. "What kind of plan?" I informed her on the strategy forming in my head.

A glint of hope sparkled in Reyna's eyes. "I think it's a valid strategy. Oh, and leave the 'killing Mother Nature' part to me," she paused. "You would make an admirable praetor, di Angelo."

I blinked in surprise. Out of all of the words I expected to leave her mouth, "admirable" and "praetor" didn't make the list. Not that I'm complaining. Praetor di Angelo does have a nice ring to it, but it could never replace Praetor Zhang.

"If we make it out of this alive, I might look into it."

We passed the message along to the survivors, regrouping and retreating to the opposite side of the battlefield. The few medics left treated the wounded with jaw-dropping speed. A lot of the medics are children of Apollo, and the rest are demigods with experience in medicinals. My gaze drifted over them and the injured with little regard, until a certain shade of yellow caught my eye. The color of sunshine looked out of place with the dreary gray, ruthless red, and soulless black—the shades that will be forever painted into our world. Before I knew it, my feet were walking for me into the direction of the bright, exotic shade, like a moth to a flame.

Will Solace, the stubborn son of Apollo, turned around swiftly and met my gaze. His sky blue eyes looked so bright, so intense, yet so shattered, all at the same time. When most would have looked away in fear or disgust, he held my gaze, as if silently reassuring me everything would be okay. For a moment neither of us spoke, neither of us turned away. He smiled—a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. A beacon of hope in the hopeless oblivion of war.

I broke eye-contact.

There's nothing left to say, not in the middle of war, anyway.

I walked away to locate Reyna. I trekked through the make-shift camp, made out of dirt, scraps, and any other remnants we could find in the ruins of Greece. I met with the daughter of Bellona around the corner. She, and what looked to be a lot of senior demigods, discussed the plans I proposed, elaborating and establishing order in the midst of all the Chaos.

"Reyna? What's the plan?" I asked.

She looked up and beckoned me to come over. "Nico, you're going to be a core part of the plan. I need you to lead the stealth team with me. Since you are the most powerful demigod here, I'll need your help with destroying Mother Earth once and for all. We've already set up the parameters: we're going to send in a strike team of twenty people and sneak into the enemy territory using the terrain as cover. It's going to be very covert, so try not to draw any unwanted attention. Kill if you have to, but don't make it a habit. We need to preserve the element of surprise."

I nodded in confirmation. "Do we have enough people?"

The Praetor of New Rome pursed her lips. "Yes, but only barely. We can't afford another blow." she let the unspoken words sink in: Or we're all gone for good.

We gathered twenty of the remaining survivors for the strike team, making sure to sharpen our swords, and say our last goodbyes.

Will Solace walked up to me in a purposeful stride. Blood, dirt and grime smeared his face like a second layer of skin, and his clothes looked more tattered than my jeans. "I'm going with you."

"Absolutely not," I deadpanned. "You're our best healer. We need you to treat the wounded."

"There are other healers you know. And in case you didn't notice, you don't have any archers on your team. Without any archers you all have to fight head-on anyway," he reasoned. He tried to sound confident but I could hear the doubt slipping into his voice.

"And you think you're the only good archer here? What makes you so certain you should come?" I fired back.

Panic invaded his features as he tried to think. I shook my head in exasperation. I don't have time for this. Will Solace once again blocked my way from the business I need to settle.

I sauntered off, only to stop short when a warm hand seized my wrist. "Who's going to heal the strike team if something happens? You said it yourself, I'm your best healer. You're already short-handed. If one person dies from lack of medical attention, you will all be at a disadvantage when you finally face her. You'll need a healer to prevent that from happening—you'll need the best healer you can find."

I suppressed a sigh. He's right of course. He does make a valid argument. I could feel a headache coming on from the emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion of the day, and the worst is yet to come.

"Fine," I conceded. "But don't expect anything else out of me."

No need to build up his expectations.


	3. Chapter 2: The Art of Shaking the Earth

We trudged along the mangled earth as quietly as we could, careful to avoid the probing eyes of Gaea's army and the perished corpse of our own. A few monsters spotted us, to which we gladly sent them on their way to Tartarus. No one had the energy to start up a conversation, which I guess is good anyway, since we are on a stealth mission after all. But the silence around me is deafening and I almost wish someone would say something, anything really to ease the thick tension of fear.

My mind drifted off, tangled with thoughts of the Seven. What are they doing at the moment? Have they been judged yet? Are they enjoying Elysium? Have they even gone to Elysium? Are they happy? I sure hope so, especially after experiencing death as gruesome as they have. The least the Fates could do is give them a little peace in the Underworld.

Oh Gods! The Underworld! Dad…

He must be swamped at the Judgement Room, if the thousands of corpses half-buried in the loose soil are anything to go by. Yep, I can imagine he must be in a really bad mood.

Then there's the question of why the Gods have been silent, distant, and quiet, which just doesn't happen. Has Zeus shut down Olympus again? And one would think that the gods learned there lesson the first time. Honestly, the number of times I want to slap Zeus has skyrocketed! Forget slapping, if I ever get out of this alive I'm going to gut that guy with my sword and light his corpse on fire! With Greek fire! Maybe then I can get through to the dense skulls of the Olympians.

We can only hope that at least one of the Olympians is trying to talk Zeus out of the lockdown, but the odds aren't on our side when the king of the Gods is denser than a freaking rock.

It's the Gods' faults that everything is so screwed up right now. It's their fault that Thanatos is working overtime, it's Gaea's fault that so much blood has spilled on the earth, and it's my fault that I wasn't there for my little sister, my friends, when they needed me most.

It's my fault, it's all my fault.

If I transported the Athena Parthenos to camp faster, a good portion of Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter wouldn't have killed each other. If I just pushed myself harder in Tartarus, the Seven wouldn't have had to risk their lives to save me. If I stayed with my sister in the midst of battle, I could've protected her. I could've prevented a war if I had just been honest. I could've prevented a lot of messed up crap if I just. tried. harder.

Bianca would've done better, my father's callous voice reverberated in my ears. Even after I made amends with dad at the church with the decor of monks' skulls, even after he said he's proud of me, I still can't help but wonder if Bianca would've done better.

If it should've been me instead of her.

Sometimes I wonder how things would've turned out differently if she lived. Would she have asked Percy to dip in the River Styx? Would she have convinced Dad to fight in the Second Titan War? Would she have brought Hazel back to life too? How would she have dealt with the Roman Camp? Would she have lied to Annabeth about where Percy went? What about with Reyna and Jason? Would she have let Tartarus pull her in to locate and close the Doors of Death? Would she have been the Ambassador of Pluto? The Angel of the Prophecy of the Seven? Would she agree to shadow travel the Athena Parthenos across the world, or would her brilliant mind brainstorm a better solution? Would she have become the Ghost Queen and banish Minos to the depths of the Underworld? Would Camp Half Blood have liked her better? Would she have been asked to become Praetor?

I could go on and on about each and every scenario, and I would never find out. Unless I time travelled. But everyone knows that isn't possible.

So I continue to run the questions through my mind every time I mess up, every time I make a mistake, in hopes of discovering the answers that I know will never come.

I was so lost in my thoughts I barely registered we arrived. The enemy side of the battlefield looked so much worse than I could have ever imagined. The sky was a deeper shade of blood red, the earth was scorched and jagged, monsters and bodies littered it like wildflowers in a field. Mother Earth's armies chanted, a song of their soon-to-be victory and the anarchy that will ensue. In the center of all of the madness, Gaea and her children perched on the upheaval turf comfortably. The Kings, Queens, and squires of discord. We all paled considerably. We anticipated a Herculean fight, not the end of the world.

I clutched my sword with ferocity. End of the world or not, I won't let Gaea win, not after everything she's taken from me. I won't let her get away with what she's done. She'll pay someway, somehow—I'll make sure of it.

We circled around the army cautiously, darting from hill to hill, desperate for cover. We brandished our swords and spears in expectancy, creeping from behind the largest throne of dirt, bone, and blood.

Reyna turned to me and whispered, "I need you to create an earthquake."

I blinked. Um, what? With how casually she just said that, you could've imagined her saying I need you to clean your room, or I need you eat your vegetables. I gave her a Are you insane? look.

"Reyna, I raise and command armies of zombies, ghosts, and skeletons. I don't do earthquakes. Last time I checked, my dad isn't the god of earthquakes." I whispered very slowly, in case she had trouble understanding.

She gave me an Are you stupid? look. "Yes Nico, I know your dad isn't the god of earthquakes. However—correct me if I'm wrong—your dad is the god of everything below the surface, which includes the earth. Thus, by my understanding of your powers, you should be very capable, if not more than a child of Neptune, in the art of shaking the earth," she explained in tortoiseshell-speed, talking to me as if I were a clueless five year old. Now that is just insulting. Anyone else who would've dared talk to me like that would've earned a slap in the face and a complementary zombie dance party in their cabin. But since this is Reyna, who I have come to think of as an older sister, I will let it slide.

I threw my hands up in defeat. "Fine!" I whisper-yelled. "I'll go 'create an earthquake'."

I laid my palm down on the blood-soaked soil, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. Whenever I have trouble controlling my powers, it helps to tap into the elements around me. I could feel the earth pulsing under my finger tips, like a heartbeat. I could feel the roots shifting and tugging, feeding off of the groundwater in the small pocket of earth exactly 14.6 ft below me. I could feel bones and treasure buried 15 ft below and 70 yards left of me. 18 ft ahead of me and 2 ft below, a small colony of ants bustled in their complex tunnel system; right, left, left, and right again to navigate to the exit.

This isn't what I need. Deeper, I willed. I need to go deeper. I could feel the different layers of the earth, each more complex and unstable than the last. I shifted through the thin crust, past the bulky mantle, a layer filled with potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, and aluminum. I sifted through the outer core, a hot, fiery, liquidated layer, and reached the inner core, an incredibly dense sphere in the center of the earth made out every element peaking to iron. Earthquake, I thought. I need an earthquake. Then I felt it. The plates almost directly underneath me. I could feel the rigid chips and cracks from colliding, shifting and sinking in the dense soil.

I thought of the Mt. Olympus and Mt. Othrys, how they stand high and mighty in the sky, the symbols of power and despair. I need more than an earthquake if I'm going to topple Gaea off her dirt throne, I need a mountain. I raised my hand to the air, sensing the tectonic plates beneath me. Collide, I commanded. I squeezed my hand into a fist, feeling the familiar tug of my gut, and all hell broke loose.

I opened my eyes as I felt the plates colliding. The earth trembled in fear. Huh, so this is what it feels like to create earthquakes. I lifted my head, feeling a little more than light-headed, only to find everyone on their knees, staring at me in shock and disbelief. Why is everyone on their knees? Why are they staring at me like I just ate my own pants? I turned around and I immediately understood why.

Right smack in the center of Gaea's army, a newly formed mountain towered the battlefield, pulverizing every shrieking monster in its way. This mountain isn't just a symbol, I realized. It's a reminder of all of the lost souls of demigods who fought for the greater good.

What will I name it?

Mt. Half Blood. In honor of all of the demigods who sacrificed their lives in this war. I almost smiled in approval.

Maybe there is hope for us after all.


	4. Chapter 3: The End of the World as We Kn

"Nico, how many times do I have to explain what an earthquake is? I said earthquake, Nico—earthquake! Not a freaking mountain!" Reyna exclaimed. Pandemonium erupted as quickly as Mt. Half Blood rose. Monsters were being crushed left and right as the mountain continued to form.

"Technically speaking, Mt. Half Blood formed from a convergence in the tectonic plates beneath us, which qualifies as an earthquake," I supplied.

Reyna gave me the death stare and I almost shuddered. "You named the mountain?"

"Yes, I named it Mt. Half Blood in honor of all of the demigods that fought valiantly in this war. I figured if the Gods and the Titans have a mountain, why can't we demigods have one too?" To be honest, I'm really proud of myself. I didn't know I could trigger earthquakes, let alone create mountains.

"Who cares what the name of the mountain is! We have our distraction!" Will yelled triumphantly as he readied his bow and quiver. That seemed to seize everyone's attention.

We raised our swords and yelled a battle cry. Not for the gods, but for ourselves. The Gods don't deserve recognition. Not from us, anyway. We leaped into battle, slashing and stabbing every earthborne that ventured too close. Will perched himself on the peak of a nearby hill, targeting each monster with the keen eyes of a hawk hunting its prey. Reyna looked regal, stabbing and jabbing in a deadly dance. Her purple robes twirling in ribbons around her. Adrenaline fueled me as I summoned the undead, skeletons upon skeletons and everything in between hacking at monsters with incessant recovery.

For a moment, I almost believed we had a fighting chance. Gaea smirked amusingly. She's playing with us, I realized.

"Little demigods," Gaea's somnolent voice resonated across every hill, every wildflower, a deceitful lullaby singing of safety and warmth before you die. "You're resilience is refreshing. However, you've already lost. Your army has been slain, your loved ones have been destroyed, and your spirits have been shattered—the gods will not save you. What do you have left to fight for?"

She's right. What do I have left to fight for?

Bianca and Hazel are dead. My friends, the people I considered family are dead. My cousins are dead. Almost every Greek and Roman demigod is dead. There's nobody left to save, nobody left to fight for.

Except the Gods, I thought bitterly.

What do you have left to fight for?

Revenge. Even Gaea can't take that away from me.

I fought harder. I swung my sword in a deadly arch, a blur of shadow and darkness. The stygian iron greedily consumed the golden dust of the monsters. There's too many, I thought. There's no way we can fight them all. Gaea summoned the giants, her children, to join the battle. All eleven rose from their corrupt thrones. They all had identical malicious grins on their ugly faces and a dangerous glint in their eyes.

Uh oh. We are royally screwed.

The giants decimated us one by one.

They wiped out more than half of our strike team in a matter of mere minutes. Without the help of a god, a demigod can't slay a giant. As psychotic as my great-grandmother is, she knows her grandchildren all too well. Gaea knew the gods would be too stubborn to aid their children in war. A genius plan to use against the Olympians, one born of their own ignorance. I'm not sure whose crueler—the Gods, the Titans, the Giants, or the Primordials.

The sound of the ringing once again pounded in my ears and a tidal wave of anguish overcame me. I know that feeling all too well.

Someone I love is about to die.

I searched frantically for Reyna and Will in the chaos. The metallic smell of fresh blood pervaded my nose as the bodies crumpled to the ground in broken heaps.

Where are they?

I can't lose anyone else, not again. My breath hitched as I saw an Emposua rake her claws into Will's throat. The ringing reached a crescendo once again. "WILL!" I screamed in vain. His eyes locked with mine. Those piercing blue eyes, the perfect shade of a crystal sky—a shade that I will never see again. He tumbled to the ground as the Emposua cackled.

Tears poured from down my face like a waterfall. He's gone. He's really gone. I have to keep moving forward, I have to find Reyna. Before she goes too. I locked away the pain in my heart and kept moving.

This is no time for mourning the fallen.

The screams around me were drowned out by the ringing, as if I were underwater in a void of sound. Blood oozed from my ears. It was a dim awareness in the heat of battle.

I spotted the Praetor of New Rome dauntlessly dodging and rolling past each and every obstacle Gaea threw at her, her eyes vacant of fear. I darted to her, slashing and stabbing the earthborne in my way. At one point, a drakon breathed fire in my direction and almost fried me like fish sticks. I killed him quick enough.

I'm so close, I thought. So close. I weaved through the mayhem, feeling like my head would explode from my killer headache.

"Help me! Please help me!" A young girl, a daughter of Hermes, screamed at the sky. She looked to be about 12 years old. The volume of the ringing seemed to grow as I glanced her way.

She's bleeding out, I realized.

I don't know what came over me, but I kneeled down next to her. "What's your name?" I asked gently.

Her distant periwinkle eyes focused on mine. "Megan, daughter of Hermes."

"My name is Nico," I introduced myself. "son of Hades."

"I'm scared! I don't want to die," she whimpered, her crimson lips trembled.

I brushed a strand of blond out of her face. "Don't be afraid. It won't hurt anymore than it hurts already. You're a hero. You'll find peace in Elysium with all of your friends and siblings right beside you. You will be remembered. And who knows? You might want to go for rebirth, get another shot at life. If you live a hero's life 3 times, you can go to the Isles of the Blessed."

The daughter of Hermes relaxed slightly and grasped my hand in hers. "Will you stay with me? Just until… I have to leave for good?"

"Of course," I reassured her. I held Megan's hand as she took her dying breath, stroking her hair to comfort her in her final moments. I felt her soul slip away as she stared into the ruthless red. Her frost-shaded eyes evermore clear, innocent, and empty. A tear trickled down my cheek as I closed her eyes. I'll remember Megan. Always.

I left to join the fight once again.

"Reyna!" I dashed to her, barely missing a claw to the eye, which grazed my cheek instead.

"Nico! I thought you were killed! The team, they're—"

I cut her off. "I know. We need to figure out another plan and fast if we're going to have any chance at defeating—" This time I got cut off as an enormous wall erupted right between Reyna and I. "REYNA!" Oh gods I'm going to lose her too! I can't lose her! "Reyna can you hear me!?" A sharp pain pulsated in my skull. I winced and clutched my head.

Oh no.

Gaea emerged from the other side of the wall with a sadistic grin on her face. Victory shone in her eyes. Clenched in her hand, Reyna's corpse hung limply like a rag doll tossed aside, a shard of earth impaled in her chest.

"NO!" I screeched in horror. She's dead! Everyone is dead!

Mother Earth cackled with sickening glee. "Oh Little Angel, you're poison! Everything you touch, everyone you love dies! Congratulations! There is no one left to save! You are the only demigod left standing! My forces have decimated the half bloods you left unguarded with your foolish plan. Olympus will fall with no children left to defend them! At last! I shall rule this world and rid it of impurity! Tell me son of Hades, how does feel to be the last survivor of your kind?"

"No," I shook my head in shock, desperately hoping to wake up from this dream of living terror. "No, no, no, no, no." I'm the only one left. How could I have let this happen?

"Yes, my Little Angel, you let everyone die! Don't worry, you will be joining your friends soon enough…" Gaea reached out for me, a terrifying glint in her grass-green orbs.

I raised my sword, ready to go down with the last bit of dignity and courage I could muster…

A flash of amber encased my vision, blinding me as I cried out in alarm. I shut my eyes as the light intensified, and an ancient, yet familiar voice echoed in the radiant void. "Nico di Angelo, you have been gifted a second chance. Prevent the deaths of the Seven and warn the Gods of their undoing before it is too late. You must unite the Greeks and Romans, or all will be lost. Only reveal yourself to those you trust. Farewell, son of Hades."

Fatigue overcame me as my vision swam. My knees gave way, my eyelids heavy. I collapsed into the welcoming arms of sleep.


	5. Chapter 4: Back to the Beginning

I opened my eyes and blinked in confusion. What just happened? The memories came flooding in like a great tsunami. The war with Gaea replayed over and over, each and every detail etched vividly into the back of my mind. The blood red sky, the jagged terrain, the thousands of empty eyes staring into nothingness, the giants and the devastation they caused. The feeling of hopelessness, the oblivion of war, Gaea's poison green eyes glinting as she reached out to take me too, and the deaths—so much death, all of the wildflowers in the field.

Tell me son of Hades, how does it feel to be the last survivor of your kind?

Gaea's words resonated in my mind, like a broken tape recorder of despair.

Someone started shaking me. "Nico? Nico, are you alright? Nico!"

I snapped out of the echoes of war, the voice pulling me back into reality. And what I saw shocked me to my very core. In front of me stood Bianca di Angelo, living, breathing, and very much alive. I studied her face, trying to fathom how she could possibly be standing right in front of me. "Bianca?" I whispered unsurely.

I searched for every possible sign that the girl in front of me could be an imposter. She wore the same floppy green hat, and had the same long, dark hair cascading over her pretty features—like black silk. Her dark eyes, blacker than obsidian stared at me in concern—Bianca's eyes. My father's eyes. She even has the same olive complexion, and she scrunched her freckled nose the same way too.

How is this possible? I thought. Bianca died. She went for rebirth.

"Are you alright, Nico? You look like you've seen a ghost," she said as she fretted over me in worry.

Maybe I am seeing a ghost.

I tried to respond, but the words were caught in my throat. I could only nod, which isn't very convincing in itself. I recalled what the ancient voice told me before I blacked out, before I started seeing my dead sister alive.

She said I've been given a second chance. For what? The answer dawned on me: To prevent Gaea from winning the Giant war. To save the world. Her instructions were to prevent the deaths of the Seven and to warn the Gods of their undoing. Undoing? Their ignorance and the price they will have to pay for it. Unite the Greeks and Romans, reveal yourself only to those you trust? Then it hit me.

Whoever this person is, they've somehow managed to send me back in time, and they were giving me advice on how to prevent the end of the world as we know it. Which means I am no longer 14 years old. Hazel isn't alive yet and Bianca hasn't died.

No one knows who my father is.

"You sure you're okay? You look really pale. Are you feeling sick? I knew this was a bad idea to come to the dance," Bianca grumbled. Dance? Uh oh.

I looked around me, surveying my surroundings. Red and black balloons were strewn in a very familiar looking gymnasium, streamers draping from the ceiling in a lazy fashion. Awful music played from a nearby speaker as girls dressed in spaghetti straps with faces caked in makeup bombarded their poor victims in lipstick and giggles. The boys stood awkwardly to the side, hands in their pockets, not really sure what to do besides avoiding the girls in those painful looking heels. With the way the females were staring at them, I probably would've done the same thing.

My hands subconsciously shuffled a small deck of cards, my fingers moving with a life of their own. I glanced down and my heart skipped a beat. My Mythomagic cards! The same deck I threw into the fire all those years ago, or more accurately will soon throw into the fire, were now residing in perfect condition in my hand. I didn't realize how much I've missed them until I articulated each card, my stupid brain memorizing each attack power by heart.

Today is the day. Today is the day my cousins and their friends save Bianca and I from the crazy psychotic manticore who goes by the alias Doctor Thorne.

Today is the day we learn we're demigods.

And it's also the same day Bianca conveniently decided to join the Hunters of Artemis. A lot of good that did for her.

A thought occurred to me: I know everything that's about to happen leading up to the Giant War. What would happen if I started to change it, saving lives of people who shouldn't have died along the way? The mysterious voice said that I need to prevent the deaths of the Seven, but she never said anything about preventing the deaths of other people.

People like my sister.

I glanced up at Bianca. Her dark eyes darted every which way, as if she too sensed something was off. She deserves to live. I don't care what the rules of time travel are. I will not stand around hoping that my promise won't be broken, that he will save her, only to be let down all over again. If I want to save her life, I'm going to have to pull a Percy to do it and hitch a ride on their quest, even if it's against the rules. I couldn't help but smirk.

I never liked following the rules anyway.

Everyone's fate is in my hands now, if I'm going to prevent deaths and save lives, I'm going to have to play it smart. Meaning I can't afford to make any mistakes, any slip ups. I have to plan this all out accordingly, make a list of my priorities and sort out the rest.

It's Camp Jupiter all over again. I grimaced involuntarily.

I hate lying, I hate being dishonest, and I hate watching people suffer in pain, knowing I could do something about it. I refuse to interfere with people's lives like that. Not again. I'll do what I have to, but I will avoid that method at all costs, like the plague.

Just because I can fool everyone doesn't mean I like to do it.

Speaking of which, Percy and friends should be here right about now. I skimmed the crowd discreetly, a mask of boredom on my face. I can't afford to draw attention to myself, especially when all of our lives are on the line. I spotted the crew dancing and blending in. Percy awkwardly placed a hand on Annabeth's waist, blushing like there's no tomorrow. I stifled a laugh, those two are perfect for each other. Thalia danced with Grover to a slow song on the other side of the gym, taking lead confidently as she spun the Satyr at all the perfect moments of the song. Knowing Thals, she probably chose Grover as her dance partner so the two love birds could have a nice dance together.

My mind drifted to the question of how I should act. Should I play dumb and ask stupid questions when I finally "meet" Percy, or should I act like myself and risk some weird looks for it? On one hand, playing dumb does seem like the logical option, especially for underestimation purposes and making sure Bianca doesn't get nosy. However, knowing Percy and his on par observation skills, he would probably be the first to notice any and all slips, and he would grow suspicious if he could see right through my acting skills.

On the other hand, acting like myself would allow me to focus on more important priorities, like how I'm going to save my sister from her untimely death. The Hunters of Artemis and any demigod wouldn't get suspicious—but Bianca would. She would wonder why I suddenly dropped the happy-go-lucky attitude and she would surely start to worry. This could work in my advantage to lull her away from becoming a Hunter of Artemis and quite possibly solve my problem right off the bat—or it wouldn't and it would just end of creating even more issues. Also, the attitude of 14 year old Nico vs 10 year old Nico is drastically depressing, especially after watching all of my friends die is still fresh in my mind. The demigods might get suspicious as to why a 10 year old is acting all depressed anyway.

So, the most logical way to act is to start as a happy-go-lucky kid and slowly descend to the depressed, morbid teenager that I'm used to being. I could use the excuse of realizing that being a half blood isn't as cool as I thought it would be, and that I might grow increasingly morbid under the stress of having to survive the incredibly demanding life of a demigod. If I were to go this route, I would have to be cautious on how fast I mature so I don't draw attention to myself and make it look fake.

I made the executive decision to go with the 3rd option. It's simply the most practical and safest way to go about it, depending on if I play my cards right. I could even start on using the excuse of "a giant bloodthirsty manticore is trying to kill me" as a way to descend to a level of that of a 14 year old's maturity, or better yet—my 14 year old maturity.

Before I even had time to blink, a hand snatched Bianca and I by the scruffs of our collars, dragging us to the door leading to the lockers.

A/N

Thank you so much the8horcrux for the advice on author's notes! This totally works better than reviewing my own story! Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know that this is going to be a slow burn story. More likely than not, there are going to be chapters that don't have a lot of action in them. The content in these chapters will display Nico's development in growth of ideals and hopes throughout the story. I want to thank all of you for reading my story! This really means a lot to me! ️


	6. Chapter 5:

Chapter 5: Attack of the Genetically Mutated Monkey

"Make one sound, and I will slice your throat faster than you can scream," Dr. Thorne threatened as he disappeared into the shadows of the empty hallway. Or so he thought he did. I could see him hanging in the rafters above just fine. He looked like a strange genetically mutated monkey from that movie I watched. Planet of the Apes, I think it's called. Am I supposed to be able to see him? Probably not, especially when Percy didn't see him last time around.

I glanced at Bianca to see how she's holding up. She stood frozen in fear, her eyes wide and her jaw slack. Alright, definitely terrified, but she doesn't appear to be hurt which is good. When is Percy coming? I'll have to warn him when he walks in. If I remember correctly, he attempted to save us without waiting for back-up first.

Bad idea.

The son of Poseidon suddenly burst through the wooden doors. His celestial bronze sword glinted in the darkness, the golden light casting an ethereal glow in the shadowed corridor. His sea-green eyes scanned the hallway for danger and finally landed on Bianca and I.

He approached us slowly like we were caged animals. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

A shadow stirred out of the corner of my eye. Dr. Thorne's preparing to attack. I have to warn Percy before it happens. I have to buy some time for Thalia, Annabeth, and Grover.

"My name's Percy," he said calmly. "I'm going to take you out of here, get you somewhere safe."

My eyes locked with Percy's. Above you, I mouthed as discreetly as I could.

Percy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I tilted my head upward ever so slightly as my sister clenched her fists in warning. He's right above you, I mouthed again. Realization dawned on the son of Sea God's face as he finally got the message.

Too late, I thought as a spike whizzed through the air and pierced Percy's shoulder, ramming him against the wall behind him. He slashed blindly with his sword as Thorne's chilling laugh resonated in the darkness.

"Yes, Perseus Jackson. I know who you are," Dr. Thorne said as he expertly migrated from the rafters to a shadowed corner. He's using Percy's full name, that's a stereotypical bad guy thing to do. Why does every villain do that? Is that just villain protocol or something?

Percy tugged uselessly at his pinned shirt and jacket. His skin turned a nasty combination of green and stark white, his breaths shallow. He's about to pass out. But why? Percy certainly isn't one of the faint at heart, that's for sure. Poison, my brain supplied. The spike must of grazed his shoulder.

Dr. Thorne stepped into the pale lighting, his face casted in an eerie glow from the light of Percy's sword, Riptide. "Thank you for coming out of the gym. I hate middle school dances."

Percy swing his sword fruitlessly at Thorne, the monster just out of reach of the blade. A second spike whisked through the air, landing only an inch from my sister's face as she yelped in surprise. I glared daggers at Dr. Throne and I could've sworn he flinched.

"All three of you will come with me. Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, if you call out for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accurately I can throw," he said.

And if you pull that trick on my sister again I will show you just how accurately I can open fissures in the ground, I silently warned as I passively followed Dr. Throne outside. We began a long trek through the snow and I shook like a leaf, the icy wind biting me all over. As a child of Hades, I have an unnaturally low body temperature, which is part of the reason why I always wore my aviator jacket everywhere I went. Speaking of said jacket, I'll have to remember to get one soon.

As we trudged through the blanket of winter, Percy closed his eyes in concentration. Is he praying? No, that's not it. It doesn't seem likely that he's tapping into the ocean water around us either, not when we're at a disadvantage with Thorne breathing down our necks. A thought occurred to me: I vaguely remember Percy mentioning something about an empathy link connected to Grover. He's trying to contact Grover for help.

"What are you doing, Jackson?" Dr. Thorne hissed in suspicion. "Keep moving!"

The son of Poseidon open his eyes. "It's my shoulder. It burns," Percy faked a wince to add effect.

"Bah! My poison causes pain," Thorne snorted disbelievingly. "It will not kill you. Walk!" I almost smiled. Thorne has taken the bait. When he looked away, Percy attempted another connection.

The Manticore led us on a path to the woods lit by old fashioned street lamps. "There is a clearing ahead. We will summon your ride."

"What ride? Where are you taking us?" Bianca interrogated.

"Silence, you insufferable girl!" The monster snapped.

"Don't you dare talk to my sister that way you evil, slimy jerk!" I instinctively fired back. The PG insults have commenced. I gave the manticore my famous death glare and this time he definitely flinched. Percy looked impressed. Dr. Thorn growled menacingly, and I decided that it wouldn't be wise to irritate the manticore in disguise any further.

"Halt," the evil principle order.

We have finally arrived at the clearing. A cliff a few feet ahead of us faced a void of dark mist, eerily reminding me of the death mist residing in Tartarus. The pseudo mist down there made no attempt to obscure the horrors beyond it. I saw every vain, every cell of skin, and every limb that made up Tartarus—all because I have an inherited ability to see through the death mist.

Dr. Thorn shoved us toward the edge of the cliff, allowing me to catch a whiff of salty air. Sea salt. Percy almost fell off, but Bianca caught him. "Thanks," I heard him mumble.

"What is he? How do we fight him?" Bianca whispered urgently.

"I… I'm working on it." Translation for: Our back-up still hasn't responded.

"Are your friends coming?" I murmured.

Percy frowned in scepticism. "How did you know—"

"Stop talking!" Thorn barked. "Face me!"

We reluctantly turned around.

Thorn pulled out a phone from his coat pocket. His eyes glittered victoriously. He pressed the side button on the phone and spoke, "The package—it is ready to deliver." Seriously? The package? Yeah, that definitely doesn't sound suspicious. A distorted reply came from the other end of the phone, which sounded a lot like all of the voices of the adults in that show, Charlie Brown.

It must be Luke on the other end, I thought bitterly. That guy is going to cause quite a few problems for me when I'm trying to save the world.

Percy gazed out beyond the cliff, and I knew he was considering whether he should jump or not.

"By all means, Son of Poseidon. Jump! There is the sea. Save yourself," Thorn cackled. Of course Percy wouldn't jump. Leaving us behind would go against his fatal flaw, boundless loyalty.

Bianca frowned. "What did he call you?"

"I'll explain later," Percy said cryptically.

"You do have a plan, right?"

Percy didn't respond and I saw a flash of panic cross his face. He's probably debating with himself whether or not he should tell us to jump over the cliff. Yeah right, like Poseidon would tolerate that. Well… maybe. Hopefully Poseidon is more lenient about his nieces and nephews crossing his domain than his brothers. But Thorn would probably kill us first before we even reach the water.

"I would kill you before you ever reached the water," he said. Woah, freaky much? "You do not realize who I am, do you?"

Of course I do, idiota! I wanted to say, but I wisely kept my mouth shut. No need to draw any unwanted attention. A tail flickered behind Thorn, and another spike catapulted through the air and nicked Percy's ear.

Uh oh.

"Unfortunately you are wanted alive, if possible. Otherwise you would already be dead." Not if I can help it. That reminds me, if I get out of this alive I'll need some place private to test out my powers.

"Who wants us?" Bianca demanded. "Because if you think you'll get a ransom, you're wrong. We don't have any family. Nico and I… We've got no one but each other." Except our father, the literal Devil of my not-so-mythological life.

"Aww," Thorn cooed mockingly. "Do not worry, little brats. You will be meeting my employer soon enough. Then you will have a brand-new family."

Realization dawned on Percy's face. "Luke. You work for Luke."

"You have no idea what is happening, Perseus Jackson. I will let the General enlighten you. You are going to do him a great service tonight. He is looking forward to meeting you."

"The General?" Percy asked in a French accent. "I mean… who's the General?"

My eyes widened in understanding. Atlas. A name that resurfaced some painful memories. The quest, the broken promise, the deaths. Too many wildflowers in the field…

Dr. Thorn shifted his gaze to me. "Your little friend here seems to have an idea. Your intelligence will be a great addition to the General's army." Percy glanced my way, skepticism once again painted on his face.

Thorn looked to the distance, his eyes following the sliver of light that illuminated in the void in front of us. A helicopter sounded. "Ah, here we are. Your transportation."

"Where are you taking us?" I demanded.

"You should be honored, my boy. You will have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls." Okay, that just isn't fair. It's not my fault someone decided to blast me into the past and back into my annoying 10 year old body. Anger simmered inside of me, the flames of my rage rising at a dangerous rate.

"I will never join your army, you demonic, genetically mutated monkey!" I finally recognized my voice: low, dark, and impenetrable—just the way it should be. "You can go take your great army and shove it up your—"

"Now, now," Dr. Thorn chided. "You will change your mind about joining us soon enough, my boy. You would make an excellent soldier—you are powerful, a fierce fire burns in your soul. But all fires snuff out eventually." I flinched. It sounded too similar to my line in the Prophecy of the Seven: twins snuff out the Angel's breath, who holds the key to endless death. "If you do not join us, well… there are other uses for half bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway."

"The Great what?" Percy asked.

The monster's smile looked sinister. "The stirring of monsters. The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all- the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!"

"Okay. He's completely nuts," Bianca whispered to Percy.

"We have to jump off the cliff. Into the sea." Percy supplied helpfully.

"Oh, super idea." Bianca decided. "You're completely nuts, too."

Something invisible slammed into the three of us, knocking us down like bowling pins as Dr. Thorn's spikes flew harmlessly over our heads.

The back-up has arrived.

A/N

So this chapter has actual diologue from Titan's Curse, however I changed up a couple of parts and tweaked it a little to fit better into the story. You'll see what I mean in the next chapter. Also, the use of dialogue from the original story is only gonna last for about one more chapter or so, and then I will stay away from it completely. Using the same diologue felt necessary in this part of the story. I may or may not do this more in the future, depends solely on the situation. Also, I wrote the chapter in the very beginning of the story because it wouldn't have fit otherwise. Thanks for reading.

-Echolex


	7. Chapter 6:

Chapter 6: I Play Shot Put With a Manticore

The back-up sprang into action. Thalia and Grover snuck behind the monster, where Thalia wielded her incredibly terrifying shield, Aegis, a gift from Athena. The shield is modeled after Zeus' shield, with the emblem of the head of Medusa embedded into the celestial bronze. The face won't turn you into stone, but it will cause quite the panic, especially with monsters. Thalia charged in with her shield and her humongous collapsible spear, looking like a truly terrifying nightmare come to life.

Dr. Thorn flinched and snarled when he saw her.

Thalia advanced with her trusty shield. "For Zeus!"

If I didn't know any better, I would have told Thorn now is the best time to say what will be his last words for a long time. Unfortunately, I do know better. That spear and shield are about as effective as pipe cleaners. Thalia aimed for the head but to no avail. Dr. Thorn merely swatted the spear away like a minor nuisance. Then it began. The evil principal's hand morphed into a gigantic orange paw, like a tiger's. Claws erupted in razor-sharp talons, screeching against the bronze of the daughter of Zeus' shield as he slashed. Thalia managed to roll out of the way before she could be diced up like minced garlic.

The monster catapulted another volley of thorns at Thalia, exposing his leathery, razor-sharp tail. The thorns ricocheted off of Aegis, but the force of the blow knocked her off her feat.

Grover leaped into action. An upbeat melody played from his reed pipes as he blew, and grass burst through the snow. In a matter of seconds, the grass grew into rope-thick weeds that wrapped around Dr. Thorn's legs like a Christmas present, ensnaring him.

Dr. Thorn released a mighty roar as he began to change. He grew larger in size, morphing into his true form—a manticore. His face remained human, with his cold blue and brown eyes, but his body had completely changed into a huge lion. His leathery, scorpion tail shot spikes in every direction at break-neck speed.

"A manticore!" Annabeth exclaimed next to us, her New York Yankees cap laid on the fresh powdered snow.

"Who are you people? And what is that?" Bianca demanded, yanking me behind her.

"A manticore, one of the deadliest monsters in Greek mythology!" I exclaimed instinctively. "He's got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!" Wait, what did I just say? Curse my stupid 10 year old brain.

The manticore pried free from the weeds, tearing the plants to shreds. He turned to us, growling dangerously.

"Get down!" Annabeth yelled as she shoved us flat into the winter snow. Percy hit his wrist watch. Slivers of metal jutted out and formed into an intricately made shield. Not a second later, another round of spikes impaled what could've been a pin cushion Percy. Thorn launched Grover into the air with his monstrous tail and the satyr landed right next to the dazed son of Poseidon.

"Yield!" the Manticore roared.

"Never!" Thalia screamed defiantly from the other side of the clearing. She rushed the monster, and I was sure she would impale him like an arrow to a target. Then I remembered—the helicopter. The helicopter emerged from the oblivion of mist, rumbling and thundering just above the cliff. The searched lights blinded me, and I could only make out the dark, sleek design of the helicopter. It had guns hanging off of the side, locked and loaded to fire on us. Who is driving it? I'm almost 100% sure that monsters can't man a vehicle, let alone a helicopter, so it would have to be rogue demigods that joined Kronos' army. The searchlights blazed in Thalia's eyes, rendering her blind and allowing Thorn to sweep her away like a dust bunny with his spiky tail. Her shield and spear flew in opposite directions.

"No!" Percy screamed in protest. He ran to help her, but I knew it wouldn't do any good. There's a ferocious monster trying to kill us and a loaded helicopter is about to fire on us. We're surrounded. Thalia and Grover are down, and Percy is leaning on his last leg. Where is Annabeth? And more importantly, where are the hunters?

Dr. Thorn laughed darkly in triumph. "Now do you see how hopeless it is? Yield little heroes."

No, we can't give up, not now.

A hunting horn rang through the clearing. There's still hope.

The manticore froze in fear. His eyes widened in terror. No one moved, no one made a sound. "No it cannot be—"

Thorn was cut off as a silver projectile shot past us. The arrow glinted in the moonlight, glowing a silver luminescence. The arrow found its way to the manticore's shoulder with no trouble at all. The hunters of Artemis have arrived.

The monster stumbled, wailing in despair. Honestly, I don't blame him. I would be the same way too if I were on the wrong side of the Moon Goddess.

"Curse you!" He cried to the seemingly empty edge of the clearing. Thorn realized a fresh volley of spikes in the Hunters' direction, to which they gladly responded with a horde of silver arrows coming his way. The arrows sliced through the spikes with deadly accuracy.

The manticore yanked the arrow out of his shoulder, howling in pain. Percy made an attempt to slice at the evil principal, but he dodged with ease and rammed his tail into Percy's shield, knocking him out of the fight.

The archers emerged from the forest, all with determination set in their eyes. They all wore matching silver parkas and jeans, advancing the manticore slowly but surely with their arrows notched.

"The Hunters!" Annabeth exclaimed.

"Oh wonderful," Thalia muttered next to me.

Zoe Nightshade stepped forward among the crowd of archers, her silver circlet around her head sparkled in the moonlight. She had coppery skin, a tall, graceful figure, and long dark hair weaved into a braid. "Permission to kill, my lady?"

The monster whined in defeat. "This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Law."

A girl about 13 years old stood tall in the parted crowd. She had auburn hair bunched up into a ponytail and sharp, silver-yellow eyes that shone brighter than the moon. She had a beautiful face, but I knew better than to compliment her. Especially with the dangerous glint that danced in her luminescent irises. "The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast." Artemis glanced at her lieutenant. "Zoe, permission granted."

Dr. Thorn growled in protest. "If I cannot have these half bloods alive, I shall have them dead!"

He pounced for Thalia and Percy, both dazed from the battle. Not my cousins, jerk face!

"No!" Annabeth and I yelled at the same time. Without thinking, I snatched Percy's sword and hurtled it at the manticore's chest, while Annabeth hopped on his back in the most deadly piggyback ride there ever was, and drove her knife into the monster's mane. The manticore howled his last cry of agony as Anaklusmos and Annabeth's dagger found their target.

This time, there was no missing Annabeth, no hysterical Percy, no enraged Thalia, and no oblivious Nico. All that was left was a very shocked group of Hunters and demigods all watching in disbelief as Dr. Thorn disintegrated into golden dust.

I stood stock-still, panting due to the exertion my 10 year old body isn't used to yet. I can't believe I just did that. I can't believe one single action just erased a series of what could've been very unfortunate events. For a moment the whole clearing was silent, but everyone's attention snapped back to the fully-armed plane turning its guns in our direction. To be honest, I actually forgot about the helicopter for a second there.

The hunters all prepared to fire on the helicopter, but Artemis simply waved her hand and the vehicle dissipated into a flock of ravens, all of which flew into the void of night. "Mortals are not allowed to witness my hunt."

The hunters turned their attention to us as Annabeth weakly made her way to Percy. "Annabeth!" Percy, Thalia, and Grover exclaimed in relief.

"Nico! Are you alright? Don't scare me like that again!" Bianca smothered me in a bone-crushing hug.

The hunters made their way towards us and Zoe Nightshade stopped in her tracks when she saw Thalia. "You," she said as if the word tasted like poison on her tongue.

"Zoe Nightshade," Thalia's voice shook with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual."

Zoe's silver eyes regarded the rest of us. "Five half bloods and a satyr, my lady." I almost rolled my eyes at the comment. As if a goddess needed to be told what she could see right in front of her.

"Yes," Artemis answered, her voice as calm as a gentle breeze through the woods. "Some of Chiron's campers, I see."

"Who are you?" Percy asked. I almost smacked my hand to my forehead from how rude that question sounded. Annabeth nudged Percy and gave him a look that said: Did you seriously just ask that?

Zoe stepped forward, raising her hand to slap him. "No," Artemis ordered. "I sense no disrespect, Zoe. He is simply confused. He does not understand. I am Artemis," she introduced herself, her eyes gleamed brighter than a full moon.

"Goddess of the Hunt."

A/N

Thank you so much for the kind reviews guys! I really do appreciate it. This is my first time ever posting a fanfiction story I've written. I intend to finish this story, and I have a lot of great ideas that I'm still piecing together. Sorry about the grammar mistakes—grammar has never been my strong suit. Anyway, thanks again for reading. Please feel free to review!

-Echo


	8. Chapter 7:

Chapter 7: Bianca Makes the Wrong Choice (Again)

"Um… okay," Percy Jackson, the Son of Posiedon, the savior of Olympus said intelligently. I actually smacked my hand against my forehead. I can't believe this is the guy I'm going to have to convince that I'm a time traveler. After all that Percy has been through, one would think that he isn't easy to shock, especially if it is something as obvious as this. But no. As observant as Percy is, he can be real oblivious at times.

Grover's reaction was even worse. He gasped in awe and kneeled in the cold, frosty snow. "Thank you, Lady Artemis! You're so… you're so… Wow!" He stuttered.

"Get up goat boy! We have other things to worry about!" Thalia chided.

"Whoa," Bianca said. "Hold up. Time out." My sister made the universal time out sign. Everyone's eyes were on her. She pointed accusingly at each demigod and hunter. "Who...Who are you people?"

Artemis' gaze softened. "It might be a be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who you are! Who are your parents?"

Bianca glanced nervously at me, and I knew her brain was debating whether or not she should tell Artemis. I decided to try a new approach. "Our parents are dead. We're orphans," I answered for Bianca. "We were told there's a bank trust that pays for our school, but given the events that just went down, I'm assuming all of that is a lie?" I gave my best questionable look, which in retrospect isn't hard. Artemis raised her eyebrows in surprise, as if she didn't expect me to connect the dots so quickly. Well, she is right of course. I certainly didn't see the bigger picture the first time this went down.

"You are half bloods," Zoe said. Her accent sounded old-fashioned, a detail I forgot about her. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian."

"An Olympian… athlete?" Bianca asked skeptically.

"No," Zoe replied. "One of the Gods."

"Cool!" I exclaimed. I gave my best 10 year old Nico imitation.

"No!" Bianca's voice trembled. "This is not cool!"

I frowned, brainstorming what would sound most in character. "Like Athena, Ares, Apollo, Aphrodite, Hera—" Bianca cut me off.

"Nico, shut up! This is not your stupid Mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods!" Bianca exclaimed as she put her face into her hands.

Surprisingly, Thalia spoke first. "Bianca, I know it's hard to believe. But the gods are still around. Trust me," she reassured. "They're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well… Our lives are dangerous."

"Dangerous," my sister repeated. "Like that girl who almost fell."

"What about Dr. Thorn, A.K.A. the genetically mutated monkey?" I asked with feigned curiosity. "Is he… dead?"

"Manticore," Annabeth automatically corrected. "But sure, he does look like a genetically mutated monkey."

"Hopefully he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They reform over and over again, and they must be hunted whenever they reappear," Artemis explained.

Bianca shivered next to me. "That explains… Nico, do you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in DC?"

"And that bus driver," I recalled. "The one with the ram's horns. I told you that was real."

"That's why Grover has been watching you," Percy added. "To keep you safe, if you turned out to be half bloods."

"Grover?" Bianca asked in disbelief. "You're a demigod?"

"Well, a satyr actually," he corrected as he kicked off his shoes. He revealed his goat hooves. Right, because that's exactly what your supposed to do in situations like this. Bianca looked like she would faint right then and there.

"Grover, put your shoes back on," Thalia reprimanded. "You're freaking her out!"

"Hey, my hooves are clean!" Grover defended.

"Bianca, we came here to help you. You and Nico need training to survive. Dr. Thorn won't be the last monster you meet. You need to come to camp," Percy said.

"Camp?" Bianca questioned.

"Camp Half Blood," Percy clarified. "It's where half bloods learn to survive and stuff. You can join us, stay year-around if you like."

"Great," I said. "Let's go!" The sooner we leave, the better.

"Wait," Bianca shook her head, the news overwhelming her. "I don't—"

"There is another option," Zoe proposed. Oh no she didn't.

"No, there isn't!" Thalia and I said at the same time. She gave me a weird look. It's amazing how similar cousins can be.

Thalia, Zoe, and I all got into a glaring contest. Thalia's glare is scary alright, and Zoe's proves to have merit, but I think it's safe to say mine is downright terrifying. My death glare is about one of the only things I'm glad I inherited from my Father. Why do Thalia and Zoe hate each other so much?

"We've burdened these children enough," Artemis announced, breaking up the glaring contest. "Zoe, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests' belongings from the school."

"Yes my lady."

"And Bianca, come with me. I would like to speak with you," Artemis said. Not if I can help it.

"Actually, I think Bianca better stay with me. We need to talk about the lawyers and the trust fund. We need to figure out if one of our parents is still alive! We just got through a fight with a manticore and I need to make sure my sister is okay," I fired excuse after excuse. If Bianca becomes a Hunter, she'll die all over again. I can't let that happen.

Artemis frowned in confusion, as if she could she could sense my panic—as if she could read my mind. Now that I think about it, she probably can. "Perhaps you can show Grover how to play that card game you enjoy," Artemis suggested hesitantly. "I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while… as a favor to me?" I got to hand it Artemis, the lady knows how to manipulate head-over-hoove satyrs. That's for sure. But I'm not giving up so easily.

Grover practically tripped over himself. "You bet! Come on, Nico!"

"That's quite alright, Lady Artemis," I declined as respectively as I could. "I would like to speak with my sister in private, if that's okay with you?"

"You may speak with your sister after I have a word with her," Artemis said. She kept her voice level but I could hear the irritation creeping into her tone. Alright, two can play this game.

"Well, Lady Artemis," I tried to sound as innocent as possible, but my patience was wearing thin. "How am I going to speak with Bianca in private if you recruit her as your hunter? As far as I can tell, your hunters all hate boys, and I'm a boy! And if Bianca becomes a boy-hating hunter, then she'll hate me too! In fact, she'll probably hate me with a passion! The pressure of peers can have drastic effects on one's behavior, and it doesn't help that I'm already an annoying little brother! The facts are just screaming that she'll join the hunt! And if she joins the hunt, I'll never see her again! And if I never see her again, that can cause severe effects on my mood. And if I have severe mood problems, then I may have severe issues with controlling any powers I may possess from my godly parent. And if I have severe issues controlling said powers, I could, I don't know, create a zombie apocalypse! And zombie apocalypses are just bad for everyone!" I turned to Grover. "Wouldn't you agree?" Everyone stopped to listen to my very logical rant that I came up with on the spot.

Grover stared at me as if I grew another head. I thought he would call me insane and walk away, or tell me to grow up, but instead he shrugged nonchalantly and said, "I mean, he makes a good point."

I glanced in the direction of a very shocked looking Moon Goddess before turning my attention to my sister. "Nico, I'm not going to leave you. That sounds absolutely ridiculous. Why would Artemis want to recruit me? The more logical approach would be asking those two," she pointed at Thalia and Annabeth. "Besides, it's not like she's going to ask me anyway. Right?" She turned to Artemis, who recovered from her shock from earlier.

"Actually, I planned to do just that," Artemis said calmly.

Bianca frowned. "You're asking me to… leave the only family I have left—my little brother?"

"Perhaps we can discuss the benefits of becoming a hunter in my tent. Such as… immortality."

Bianca's eyes flashed in temptation and I knew that I would lose my sister forever. "Bianca, listen to me," I laid my hand on her wrist and looked into her sharp, uncolored eyes. "Immortality isn't everything. Would you be willing to live with the good and the bad for all of eternity? To carry all of that baggage on your shoulders—forever? Everything comes with a price, Bianca. The question is would you be willing to pay for it?"

Bianca hesitated, pursing her lips in consideration. "It's my life, Nico. I can live it however I want to," she turned to Artemis and nodded.

Tears built up in my eyes as they widened, but I didn't dare blink and let them pour. Not now, not ever. "Have fun with your new family," my voice shook with quiet rage. "Where you really belong."

I walked out of the scene to cool off, paying no attention to the voice of one of the people I care most about in the world calling my name. She isn't my family, not anymore. She lost that title when she chose immortality over her own little brother. "Nico! Nico, come back! Nico, please talk to me!"

Soon her voice became a distant echo as I ventured deeper into the winter forest. I didn't look back. I wondered if I run fast enough, could I outrun all of my troubles? Probably not, but it couldn't hurt to try. I thought about the ringing, the melancholy tune reaching a high crescendo ever time someone died, and retreating to a low hum in the aftermath. I thought about the colors of the eyes of the people I cared about as they took their final breaths, the everlasting shades of their souls. I thought about Gaea's cold, sinister laugh, her poison-honey voice. Little Angel, why do you still fight? What do you have left to fight for?

What do I have left to fight for?

My sister just abandoned me. She made it clear that immortality is far more important than any family member she has left. And the worst part? I couldn't convince her otherwise. Because of my naivety, I've doomed her for good.

A/N

Okay, so I just want to make this crystal clear: I do not own the characters or some of the direct dialogue I've incorporated into the story. All of that belongs to Rick Riordan, the genius author that started it all. The plot, and the character Megan, Daughter of Hermes is the only thing that belongs to me. I know you guys didn't review on this, but I wanted to make sure in case somebody did. (I've seen it happen before to other writers.) Anyway, how do you guys like the story so far? Please comment in the reviews! Thanks again!

-Echo


	9. Chapter 8:

Chapter 8: I Spill Secrets At the Misery Log

I found a frozen log in an empty clearing to sit on, curling in for warmth and allowing myself to be swallowed by my thoughts. I pulled my jacket closer as tears pooled up in my eyes. Though I refuse to release them. I refuse to cry. I refuse to give in to the pain. I want to be angry. I want to scream. I want to be upset with Bianca. But I just can't. Deep down, I'm envious of her. She found an escape, a loophole in life—quite literally. She won't have to feel the pressures of being a child of Hades, just as I have. She won't have to feel the insanity creeping up on her, just as I feel it. And hopefully, she won't have to ever know who her father really is, just as I found out.

Bianca is a lot of things, and she can add blissfully unaware to the list. My sister may have just caused a series of unfortunate events, but I'll be the one to end it before it takes its toll. It's just like yanking the roots of weeds out of the ground, just as Persephone, my lovely stepmother taught me—much to my annoyance. I sighed and stared vacantly into the starry, inky black sky.

I felt a pair of eyes watching me and I opened up my senses to locate the source. The shadows licked at my feet. A few feet away from me, I could sense a presence in the shade that seemed out of place, though concealed well. I glared at the general spot of the intruder. "Step out of the shadows. I know you're there."

Annabeth Chase suddenly appeared and stepped forward, her New York Yankees cap clutched in her hand. "How did you know I was there?" she asked curiously.

I frowned. "You mean how did I know you were stalking me? I think you should consider distancing yourself next time. Makes it harder to sense your presence."

She nodded, as if she was actually considering my advice. Without asking, she plopped herself down right next to me on what I have now dubbed "the misery log."

After a long moment, she spoke. "Thank you."

"For what?" I asked dumbly.

"For saving my life back there. You didn't have to do that, you know. But you did. I'm surprised you aimed as accurately as you did, especially with a sword. And facing Thorn like that? I've seen a lot of brave things in my demigod years, but what you just did? That might be one of the bravest," she turned to me and smiled softly, a rare sight on the daughter of Athena's normally stern face. "You want to know why?"

"Why?"

"I saw the look in your eyes as you threw Percy's sword. I didn't see any fear, any hesitation. Only determination. And for a 10 year old like you, facing a monster, let alone a manticore can be a truly terrifying experience. You remind me a lot of Percy and Thalia, actually. Only they would pull a crazy stunt like that," she frowned. "Now that I think about it, you remind me a lot of children of the Big Three in general…" she trailed off, lost in a sea of her thoughts.

You remind me a lot of Percy and Thalia, actually.

How would Percy and Thalia have handled the situation? How would they have reacted if they had an older sister who craved immortality more than appreciated her own family? Would they blow up too? Probably. This is Perce and Thals, the two most impulsive people I know. These two are the same people who almost created a disaster after a not-so-friendly game of capture the flag with our greatest rivals, the hunters of Artemis. These are the same people who blew up Mt. St. Helens and can literally shock you to death. Then again, I recently erupted a mountain in a crowd of blood-thirsty monsters, so I really don't have any room to talk.

They wouldn't give up. I knew that for sure. Even if they were drowning in all of this misery.

That's the purpose of being a child of the Big Three, I realized. We concoct hope out of hopelessness, design order out of chaos. We're the backbone of the army, the glue that holds everyone together when they begin to fall apart. We're the leaders, the children who inspire others to keep going, to keep trying, to keep aiming. Somehow, we always hit the target, even under the most dire of circumstances. We are the light that guides others to the brightest light of all at the end of the tunnel. Even when we break down, we're still fighting. I won't let fate stand in my way.

If I can't beat the game, I'll rewrite the rules.

So what will I do next? What can I do next? I need advice, I realized. And who better to get advice from then the wisest daughter of Athena herself?

"Hey Annabeth? If someone you love is about to die, and you have the power to prevent it, how would you go about doing it?"

She furrowed her eyebrows in contemplation. "In what context?"

I pursued my lips, debating whether or not I should say it. After a couple of seconds, my curiosity gave out. "Time travel."

Her face contorted in surprise, then suspicion. Her stormy grey eyes studied me carefully. "Why do you want to know?"

Can I trust her? Can I tell her my secret? Of course I can! This is Annabeth freaking Chase, daughter of Athena, heroine of Olympus! If I can trust anyone here, it's her. Annabeth always has a plan, just like her mom. If anyone knows what to do, it's her.

"I'm from the future!" I blurted out. Well, that's one way to break the news. Annabeth stared at me for a solid minute, her face a void of emotion. Her stormy eyes seemed to sift through my brain. Or am I just imagining that? I almost shivered, and not because of the cold. Almost.

"I believe you," she finally said. I breathed a sigh of relief I didn't know I was holding back.

"You… you believe me?"

"I can tell your serious about this. Explain," she ordered. "And don't leave anything out."

My mouth moved for me as I recounted, well, everything. I told her about the original encounter with Dr. Thorn, the journey to Mt. Orthys, and how she disappeared with the manticore off the face of the earth. I described the Labyrinth; the seemingly endless tunnels with danger and deception at every turn, and the new clear-sighted Oracle of Delphi. I illustrated the second Titan War; the battle against Luke Castellan and Kronos' forces of both monsters and rogue demigods, and exactly how the hero's soul was reaped. I reiterated the entirety of the Giant War and the events leading up to it; the Seven answering the call, and how the world failed to fall. I even told her about the Roman camp, though I carefully avoided spilling where the location is. She nodded, absorbing every word, every detail, every truth that left my lips. I felt the weight of a thousand souls, a thousand wildflowers departing from my aching shoulders. By the time I finished recounting the adventures, my voice felt raw and hoarse.

"So it's true then? You really are from the future. A time traveler," she said in disbelief. "But how? Who sent you back in time? And how… How did the Seven fail?"

I was silent for a long moment, attempting to organize the jumbled mess of my thoughts. I studied the freshly fallen snow, the intricate detail put into each and every snowflake—one of winter's many masterpieces. I gazed at the icicles dangling from each thin branch, the iridescent crystals sparkling in the silver moonlight. The clearing looked so peaceful, so pure, so innocent.

Why can't I be innocent too? Why can't I go back to being the same carefree boy I used to be: unblemished, unmarred, unscathered? I used to be blissful, ignorantly blissful of the troubles I would soon face; the troubles I'm born to face. The sad truth: I can't remember the last time laughed. The last time I smiled.

Fighting, whether for my life or for the lives of others, is all I've ever known. And it's all I will ever know, because that's the life of demigod, summed up into one sad, sad purpose: We are born to fight the wars the Gods won't fight themselves.

Trouble will follow me, misery will shadow me, bloodshed will surround me, but guilt? I won't let guilt overwhelm me. I'll find a way to save as many as I can. I'll figure something out.

I always do.

"It's my fault the Seven couldn't defeat Gaea," I confessed. My voice cracked a little. "If I transported the Athena Parthenos to camp faster, the Greeks and Romans would have forgiven and forgotten—instead they murdered each other. The leftovers were brutally slain by Mother Earth and her Giants. I wasn't fast enough. I tried to close the Doors of Death on my own, but the monsters overcame me in… in Tartarus. The Seven took a side quest to rescue me. Not because they wanted to, but because they had to. Twins snuff out the Angel's breath, who holds the key to endless death.

"I'm the Angel. At the time, only I knew the location of the Doors of Death. To defeat Gaea, we had to take out her army first. With the doors open, it made it impossible for the monsters to stay dead for a reasonable amount of time. They just kept coming back. With every monster we killed, two more took its place. You and Percy eventually closed the doors after you were practically dragged down by Arachne into the pit. You barely made it out with your lives, let alone your sanity. I'm not sure who sent me back in time."

"How old were you?" She asked quietly.

"Fourteen," I said hesitantly. "My younger sister, Hazel, one of the Seven, was only thirteen."

I glanced up, only to find a troubled look on the daughter of Athena's face. "We can't let history repeat itself. We need to come up with a plan to change the outcome of the future," a familiar glint returned in her eyes, a strategic glint. "Changing the outcome of the future all at once would be too risky. If something goes wrong, all of the dominoes will collapse. We need to make subtle changes, create ripples that will reshape the timeline. Are you familiar with the butterfly effect?"

"Yeah, it's the theory that a minuscule alteration can create the most drastic differences in a timeline," I answered. "Are you saying that's the best course of action? I'm not so sure, especially because I'm relying on my prior knowledge here. If we modify the timeline, there's a good chance I won't know what comes next, and we'll be reshaping the future blindly. That's a huge risk to take," I argued.

"The butterfly effect is merely a theory based off of even more theory of the space and time continuum. Think of it this way: If you're changing the future blindly, it won't be similar enough to the future you just came from where Gaea won, and therefore proves a more likely chance that we'll win the war. If anything, it's the most logical way to go about it." Annabeth fired back.

"I see where you're basing your logic, but it's all theory that we don't entirely understand. What if the space and time continuum doesn't work that way? I think the best way to go about this situation is altering one detail at a time," I reasoned. Then it came to me. "We need to check off each detail we alter—we need a list."

Annabeth smiled in approval. "That might actually work. If we change things along the way, like preventing your sister's death, we can modify the future anyway we need to by playing it by ear."

"We don't need to know everything," I realized. "All we need is the desired framework of the future that will allow the demigods to win the war! We can think of what need for the framework on the list and change and check-off things and events as we go!"

"It might just work," Admiration shined in her eyes. "I'll help you make the list and execute the plan. We need to tell Percy about this, and I suggest you tell Chiron about this too. When the time is right, we need to warn the Gods. What did the woman say exactly when she brought you to the past?"

I attempted to sift through my murky mind, but the echoes of war and death still haunted me, following me like a shadow. It hurt to think about it, yet I still pressed on. I closed my eyes in concentration, focusing on nothing but the brief conversation I had with the mysterious voice.

Nico di Angelo, you have been gifted a second chance. Prevent the deaths of the Seven and warn the Gods of their undoing before it is too late. You must unite the Greeks and Romans, or all will be lost. Only reveal yourself to those you trust. Farewell, son of Hades.

I summarized what the mysterious woman said. "Who do you think she is?"

"Honestly? I have no clue. You said she has an ancient voice, right? That could mean any number of Goddesses, or even Primordials if you really thinking about it. Regardless," Annabeth laid a hand on my shoulder. "Everything that happened isn't your fault. You gave your best effort with what you had to work with, and from what I can tell, you did a lot more good than you realize. You have another chance to save everyone, Nico. I want you to know that your not alone. Percy and I, we'll support you, guide you, and stand by you every step of the way. We'll find a way to save as many as we can. We'll unite the Greeks and the Romans, even if they hate us and we hate them back. We'll find a way. Your heart of gold will save a lot of lives. We'll save Bianca too."

I grimaced. After that fight I just had with Bianca, I'm not too keen on mentioning her right now, let alone thinking about her. "Nico, you're going to have to talk to her at some point. Cut her some slack and work it out with her. You both said some hurtful things that I'm positive you didn't mean. You're brother and sister and you have a strong sibling bond that shouldn't be severed."

"Bianca made her choice and I made mine. I'm not talking to her. I'll try my best to save her, but I'm not talking to her," I repeated.

It's my life, Nico. I can live it however I want to.

My sister's words stung way more than I'd like to admit. I could see the truth flashing in her eyes: She wants to be apart of a new family. A family where she doesn't have to take care of any annoying little brothers, or be the responsible one. She can just be herself for as long as she lives—which will hopefully be longer than last time.

But with my luck, that's pretty far-fetched.

"We should get going, it's almost sunrise. We can think of the list when we get back to camp," she said as we reluctantly left the misery log. "And Nico?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for confiding in me. We'll figure this out, I promise."

I promise.

Ever since Percy broke his promise of protecting Bianca, I've had a bad track record with the fragile vows. Minos, my father, and even I broke my own promise that I would close the Doors of Death no matter what it took. Promises are glass mirrors waiting to be shattered, and once they break—they show nothing but a distorted image of what you used to be.

Complete. Whole.

Since then I've learned to never trust a promise, or anyone for that matter. Very few have been able to scratch farther than the surface when it comes to me. They haven't got a clue of the secrets I bear, the horrors I've seen. I'm a mystery, an enigma, a conundrum—and I'd like to keep it that way. But it seems Annabeth Chase truly scratched farther than the surface. She managed to dig a hole into the very caverns of my mind, and she'll only get deeper. Many have tried, and few have succeeded. Jason, Hazel, and maybe even Reyna being the exception. Maybe, just maybe, I might be able to open up this time, and whisper the secrets I possess to those I truly trust.

Only time will tell, I thought.

I trekked through the frosted woods with the daughter of Wisdom back to Artemis' camp.

Back to the storm.

A/N

Hey guys! I decided to update a little quicker than usual today. Think of it as a thanksgiving treat! I'd like to give special thanks to the8horcrux for all of the lovely reviews! Thank you so much! They really are the motivation that has allowed me to put my heart and soul into these chapters. (Even though it sounds super cheesy it's true!) I would also like to thank Everyshadedsilver for favoriting me! That means more to me than you know! I would like to thank everyone who has been reading my story! Before I started this story, I used to read a lot of fanfiction. (Super addicting stuff.) I found myself gravitating towards the time travel stories in the Percy Jackson Fandom. Some of them were really good, others not so much. Though almost all of them haven't been finished! I don't want to follow in their footsteps on that! I intend to finish this story, and create sequels as well. Maybe four or five books, we'll see. I already have the ending idea down, as well as some good ideas for the sequels I'll make. Anyway, just wanted to share that with you guys. Thank you everyone for following my story! I'm really happy that people have found enjoyment in my writing!

-Echo


	10. Chapter 9:

Chapter 9: It's a Hard-knock Life for Us

When we arrived back at camp where the Hunters packed up and folded their enchanted tents. If I remember correctly, the tents are simply silver square pieces of cloth that, when thrown on the ground, emerge into full blown tents. The whole concept was really fascinating, but I'm not about to tell the boy-hating hunters that. They would probably think I'm flirting anyway.

A couple feet away, a group of hunters were feeding and petting snow-white wolves with absolutely no fear. The canines eerily reminded me of Lycon, the first werewolf, and his pack. Reyna, Hedge, and I barely escaped them with our lives. We had nothing to fight them with except Reyna's silver companion, Argentum, and my silver Swiss Army knife.

I decided it would probably be best to stay away from the wolves.

Bianca sat with the hunters by the campfire, chatting amicably. Her silver parka and circlet shimmered in the moonlight. Actually, her whole form seemed to shimmer, like a mirage.

Like a _ghost. _She's a hunter now.

I honestly don't know why I thought she would even reconsider the choice. Why would she? She's finally getting what she wanted: A real family. Something I simply can't provide her. Joining the hunt doesn't just mean immortality.

To her, it means freedom.

Freedom from _me._

My sister laughed and smiled with the other girls and for the first time I've ever seen her, she looked truly happy. Her dark hair was swept to the side in a braid, her bangs unable to hide her face. Her eyes seemed to brighten as she laughed, and her thin smile reminded me more of our mother than ever before. Now that her hair is pulled back, you can make out the various freckles strewn on her angular face, like stars. She ditched the signature green floppy hat to wear the outfit of a hunter proudly, her confidence shining as much as her ethereal aura.

At least she's happy, I thought. If my sister is going to ditch me to join a group of immortal boy-hating hunters, I'm glad she's satisfied with her decision.

Her eyes roamed the disassembled campsite before locking with mine. Her face flashed in guilt and shame. I frowned slightly, rejecting the discreet apology. The last thing I saw before I broke eye contact was the look of hurt in her dark eyes.

And as messed up as it is, a part of me didn't care.

"Annabeth?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"There's something I need to tell you, it's important. But I can't say it right now—not here. I'll tell you when I see an opportunity," I said reluctantly.

"Alright," she must have seen the fear on my face. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's fine, Nico. I won't judge you."

We'll see, I thought sullenly. We'll see.

Is it risky to tell her my parentage? Yes, extremely so. But it's also _necessary._ This could go a couple of ways: 1) She might grab her hidden dagger and slice my throat before I can even scream. This would definitely eliminate the many problems I pose, as there is a chance—very _slim, _but a chance nonetheless that I will join Kronos's army. 2) She might knock me out. Next thing I know, I'm standing before the accusing stares of the Gods and Zeus' stupid lightening bolt that he'll use to fry me like chicken for supposibly being born before the oath. 3) This seems very unlikely, but she may shriek, "Not today, Satan!" and run away screaming her head off. I mean, she wouldn't necessarily be wrong, but it would be rather rude to do such a thing. I may even find myself in the situation of reaction 2 or even reaction 1. 4) This is the most unlikely of all four reactions. She would act all cool about it, give zero judgment, and admit that she had her suspicions ever since I pulled the "crazy stunt" as she liked to put it, with Dr. Thorn. She might even hug me. I think I'll put that under reaction 4.5.

I am seriously regretting this decision.

I heard footsteps crunching behind me in the snow. I turned around to find a fixed-up Percy and Grover heading towards me, two rucksacks in their hands.

Percy handed Annabeth her bag. "The hunters found this behind the pillar. I thought you might need it."

"Thanks," she smiled. It quickly turned into a frown. "What were you thinking? Why didn't you wait for us? Why didn't you find us first? Out of all of the stupid stuff you've pulled over the years, Percy Jackson, this might just be in the top five! Seriously, Seaweed Brain. What were you thinking?"

Percy winced apologetically. "I'm sorry, Wise Girl. I know it was stupid of me not to get you guys, but thought Thorn was going to kill them before we even got the chance to arrive! You disappeared into the crowd to find Grover and Thalia and there was just no time! I made an impulsive mistake and it almost cost everyone's life, especially yours. I'm sorry, Annabeth, it's my fault you almost died," he turned to me, shame evident in his eyes. "And I'm sorry I put you and your sister's lives in danger."

I blinked in surprise. Usually it's me that's saying sorry to Percy, not the other way around. Especially with the number of times that I've screwed up and it's cost Percy and everyone's lives. Watching Percy apologize like this just seems so _wrong._ One of the last times I remember him saying sorry was Bianca's death and even then I was too overwhelmed and shocked to really listen. I ran away into the forest and stumbled upon a very eager ghost who tricked me into doing his dirty work for him. I haven't exactly had the best experience with apologizes and _I'm sorry_, and it doesn't help that holding lifetime (and afterlife time) grudges is my fatal flaw. Nevertheless, I decided to cut Percy some slack. It's not his fault his head is full of kelp after all.

"It's okay, don't be too hard on yourself. Everyone makes mistakes," I smiled.

_Everyone makes mistakes._

I wish that were the case for me. But unfortunately children of the Underworld don't get that luxury, _especially_ me after what I've done.

"Do you know where Thalia went?" Annabeth asked.

"Somewhere near the edge of the school, I think," Percy said. Annabeth thanked him and left with Grover to find Thalia.

Percy made a move to hand me my olive green rucksack, but he hesitated.

"When Thorn mentioned the General, how did you know who he was talking

about? And how did you know Artemis would ask Bianca to become a hunter?"

The questions took me by surprise. He was paying attention. Of course he was paying attention, my brain supplied helpfully. He sees more than a freaking hawk.

I told myself I wouldn't slip. That I would think about every word carefully before I say it. That I would only speak when spoken to. But this is just another shining example of my incapability to do anything right. I once again messed up, and it might just cost everyone. I made an executive decision to play dumb and pretend I was paying attention too.

I racked my brain to recall what had been said in the tense conversation we had with the manticore. I know for a fact no one mentioned Kronos, so I can't use that excuse. In fact, no one specified anything about Titans in general. So, naturally the most logical way to go about this is to say that I connected the dots after coincidently possessing a Titan card in my Mythomagic deck. As for the _let's recruit Bianca _fiasco, I'll just have to again, claim I connected the dots after I noticed all of the hunters are girls.

"Well, I have this card from my deck of a Titan, and I remember that Titans are one of the main enemies of the Gods. So I just guessed a Titan would possibly be the General. As for the fact that I knew Lady Artemis would ask Bianca to become a hunter, I just connected the dots that all of the hunters are female. Logically speaking, the scenario of Bianca being asked seemed the most likely, especially if the Manticore called us powerful half bloods," I lied easily. The words rolled off my tongue so smoothly, I almost convinced myself. Where in the _world _did I learn to lie so well? Probably after years of masking my emotions. I guess practice really does make perfect.

Percy nodded, but I could tell I haven't completely convinced him. Nevertheless, he bought the story and handed me my bag. "The hunters packed this for you."

"Thanks," I replied.

"Oh, and Nico?"

I turned to him. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for helping Annabeth, she would've seriously gotten hurt if weren't for you," he said. Without another word, Percy left me to my own thoughts. Probably to find Annabeth and his friends.

I wandered aimlessly around camp, enduring glares from the hunters and undertaking the challenge of staying away from the wolves. The motion helped warm me up a bit, but I refused to go near the fire and risk having to face my sister.

So naturally, I ran into my sister anyway.

"Nico, I need to talk to you," she took the liberty of dragging me near the edge of the forest, which of course is freezing.

"I—"

"And don't try to get away from me," she interrupted me. "I won't let you avoid me anymore. We need to work this out. I need to explain to you why I chose to join the hunt."

I tried to be as nice as possible. But generally speaking, when people start dragging me around, I usually glare at them till they pee their pants. "Bianca, I really don't want to talk to you right now."

"So you're just going to sulk all day instead of working it out? That's not fair," Bianca said. I stopped dead in my tracks. She did _not_ just say that.

My rage simmered over. "Let's make something clear: What you did, leaving me like that for a 'new family?' _That's _not fair. I have _every_ right to sulk! I have _every_ right to feel upset! And here you are, forcing me to 'work this out' with you when _you_ caused this problem in the first place! How would you feel if _I _just ditched for immortality, to get away from responsibility? All because I don't want to have to deal with my annoying sister? Do you see how selfish that is?" I asked incredulously. Ok, sue me for giving into my fatal flaw. But who can blame me? Sometimes it's hard to rein in my anger, and my sister knows exactly what to say in order to push my buttons.

She looked surprised by my sudden outburst. "I'm sorry, Nico. But don't tell me you wouldn't do the same thing! I just want a break! Do you know how hard it is to take care of you?" She defended.

"Of course I know Bianca! Life is hard! Taking care of annoying brothers can be hard! But that never gives you the excuse to ditch them like that! I warned you immortality isn't everything! Knowing your life won't last forever? That's what makes life precious and special! It's what makes the moments meaningful! And you just swore loyalty to Artemis and gave all of that up! You didn't even think to give me a heads up first?"

"Of course I did! You weren't there! You just disappeared! What did you expect me to do?" She asked incredulously.

"Listen to your family! But I guess it's fitting you didn't listen to me. After all, you have only one family now, and it sure as heck isn't me! Good riddance, Bianca."

Without another word I left. I have enough on my plate. I don't need to deal with this too. I angrily wiped the tears streaming down my face and went to find Annabeth. I didn't look back, even as my sister desperately called out.

It's a hard-knock life for all of us, I realized. Just like that movie.

And it won't get any better from here.


	11. Chapter 10:

Chapter 10: I Drive the Magic School Bus

Even as the weather grew colder, and the frost only spread, I could tell sunrise was approaching. All of the hunters gathered and looked to the East, obviously waiting for Artemis' twin brother to arrive. Or as I like to refer to him as the God of Terrible Haikus.

I spotted Annabeth, Percy, Thalia, and Grover all huddled up like penguins in the cold, engrossed in a conversation. The talking stopped abruptly once I walked over to them, longing for warmth in the bitter winter air.

"Hey, Nico," Annabeth greeted. She took one look at my forlorn expression and frowned. "I'm guessing the talk with Bianca didn't go so well?"

I didn't say anything as my eyes drifted towards the starry sky, where dawn began to break.

"About time," I heard Artemis mutter a couple of feet away from me. "He's so-o-o lazy during the winter."

Percy blinked, obviously a little confused. "You're, um, waiting for sunrise?"

"For my brother. Yes," she answered simply.

I could tell by the look on Percy's face that he's a little more than perplexed by the concept. I don't really blame him. Mythology and science jumbled together can be a messy ordeal.

"It's not exactly as you think," Artemis said, as if she were reading my mind. Or maybe she's reading Percy's.

Understanding flashed across the Son of Poseidon's face. "Oh, okay. So, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a—"

He was rudely interrupted by a blinding flare of light, the warmth of Apollo's sun chariot bringing an intoxicating summer vibe to the serene atmosphere of the dead of winter.

"Don't look," Artemis instructed. "Not until he parks."

We all turned away as the light and warmth escalated. The heat was so intense that it felt like my skin was melting, cooking, and boiling all at the same time. I discarded my winter coat and held onto it for later. Though how I would need it when I am literally about to catch a ride with the _sun_ is a mystery to me.

The light waned, but the summer heat decided to stay around.

I peeled open my eyes, blinking away the incessant spots that danced in my vision. I continued to blink as I stared unimpressed at the luminescent red convertible in front of me, surrounded by a circle of wet grass where snow had once been. In my humble opinion, the car would look so much better in black. It reminded me of that interesting song I listened to with Thals one time, _Paint it Black_ by _The Rolling Stones._

The upbeat melody and Spanish tune were a really nice contrast with the almost depressing lyrics. The three elements balanced each other perfectly in a unique kind of way. I heard that music can really affect your emotions, and that song in particular can make you calm, excited, annoyed, and maybe even nostalgic all at the same time.

I blinked, trying to get my bearings. _Ugh. _ADHD makes you think of the most random things at the most random moments.

Apollo stepped out of the flashy car with a lazy grin. He wore loafers, blue jeans, and a deep blue T-shirt that was the same shade as Will's eyes.

Will…

This is his father. It's astonishing to me how Will could turn out to be so caring and stubborn when his father is the equivalent of a cocky teenager that's fed a golden spoon on a daily basis. I tried to search for the similarities. They both have the same sunny aura, sun-kissed tresses, and surfer tan complexion, but the similarities end there. Unlike Will, Apollo looked careless and childish with his easygoing smile, movies star sunglasses, and obviously undeserving six pack.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised to find Apollo standing in front of the mirror kissing his "guns", writing awful haikus, and telling himself how wonderful he is at every mirror he finds. He's like the Godly version of Narcissus.

He's everything Will isn't.

"Wow," I heard Thalia mutter next to me. "Apollo is hot."

"He's the sun god," Percy said simply.

"That's not what I meant."

"Little sister!" Apollo practically bellowed to Artemis, who stood only a few feet away. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!" Gods, I hope I don't sound like that with Hazel.

"I'm fine Apollo," Artemis sighed irritably. "And I am not your little sister."

"Hey, I was born first," Apollo said matter-a-factly. I actually face palmed at how stupid that statement sounded.

"We're twins!" Artemis exclaimed. "How many millennia do we have to argue—"

"So what's up? Got the girls with you, I see. You all need some tips on archery?" He said smoothly.

Artemis seemed to have trouble holding her tongue. "I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-blood."

"Sure, sis!" Then his face quite literally illuminated up with enlightenment. Uh, oh. I remember that look. "I feel a haiku coming on."

Every Hunter groaned. "Oh, no," I couldn't stop myself from saying. Percy and Thalia looked at me, puzzled. Only Annabeth seemed to understand what I implied.

"Green grass breaks through snow, Artemis pleads for my help, I am so cool," He looked to his audience in expectation, as if he actually expected us to applaud him.

"'I am so cool' is only four syllables," Artemis corrected. "How about 'I am so big-headed'?" She suggested.

"No, that's seven syllables," he said, actually considering Artemis' suggestion. His eyes lit up. "How about, 'I am so awesome'?"

Some of the Hunters subtlety shook their heads, while others grimaced. Artemis shook her head at her brother's stupidity.

Apollo cleared his throat and recited. "Green grass breaks through snow, Artemis pleads for my help, I am so awesome." The clearing was yet again silent.

"Yeesh, tough crowd," Apollo said. "Alright everybody, all aboard!"

"Um, Lord Apollo?" Annabeth asked. She bravely stepped up to address the issue at hand. "We won't all fit in the convertible."

"Oh! Right!" He exclaimed. "I forgot about that," he glanced at the Maserati in a sort of sympathetic way. "Shame, I really liked this form," he turned to us. "You might want to shut your eyes."

The sun god snapped his fingers as I closed my eyes, and the blinding light resumed once again. The heat seared the hair on my arms. The light finally died down. On the edge of the clearing the once red Maserati transformed in a bright yellow bus, with the lettering **_Apollo's Sun Bus_** written in bold lettering just below the windows. The bus looked just like the one on the show, _the Magic School Bus._

"All aboard the Sun Bus, everybody! Please keep your hands and feet out the isle at all times. And uh… hold on tight."

We all filed in the bus, the Hunters—including Bianca, all sat in the back while the campers sat in the front. I sat with Thalia and Grover, while Percy and Annabeth sat right across from us. Bianca glanced at me worriedly, to which I gladly glared in reply.

Why am I being so mean to my sister? Logically speaking, I know I shouldn't blame her for joining the Hunt, but my stupid emotions are getting the better of me. I used to have better control over my emotions, though ever since I took a trip back in time, my feelings have been a roller coaster. Why is this happening? Why am I acting like this? Then it hit me: PTSD. I now have PTSD because of the war. I've probably had it even earlier than that, and it would certainly explain why I've been an emotional wreck. And the fact that I'm now forced to go through puberty all over again as a short 10 year old can't help the situation either.

Apollo spun the keys around his finger tauntingly. "Alright, who wants to drive the bus to Camp?"

Zoe, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover all raised their hands, but Apollo merely disregarded them like the rest of the group, saying things like,_ too stern, no boys, no satyrs. _His eyes scanned the crowd for the desired demigod, and locked on Thalia.

"You're Zeus's girl, right? Thalia Grace, is it? That makes you my little half sister. I remember when Dad turned you into a tree. I heard about your little awakening with the Golden Fleece, all thanks to Barnacle Beard's son and Owl Head's daughter. I think Mr. I-Have-Anger-Issues' daughter also went on that quest," Apollo said as an afterthought. "Well anyway, how would you, a daughter of the sky, like to drive the Sun Chariot?" He asked enthusiastically.

"I… I…" Thalia gulped and steeled herself. "I would love to," she said thickly. Thalia did not look like she would love to.

I remember something she confided to me when we were hanging out at Percy's apartment. I'm afraid of heights, she confessed. I can't stand them.

Ironically, I developed a fear of the dark because of… _that_ place, and Percy developed a fear of drowning after that incident where he, Jason, and Piper almost drowned in dirt. (Long story.)

I hate to say it, I really do. But Thalia is in no condition to be flying a magic school bus around _in the air _when she is scared to death of heights. I'm not going to let Apollo force Thalia to do something she's not comfortable with when she's been through so much already. She was a freaking tree for seven years! She deserves a break.

So naturally, I forced down my phobia and stood up. "I can drive!" I tried to sound confident but it came out more as a squeak.

Everyone except Annabeth and a pale looking Thalia was trying hard not to laugh. Apollo looked amused and chuckled good-naturedly. "That's okay, Kiddo. I think you're a little young to be driving. Why don't you let Thalia have a go at it?"

"And I think you're a little clueless about the future," I said instinctively.

Apollo's laughing came to an abrupt stop. "What do you mean 'clueless about the future?'" He asked suspiciously.

I smirked and made the _come hither _motion with my index finger. Apollo leaned down so that my mouth went next to his ear. "Kronos is merely the warm-up," I whispered ever so softly, like a feather drifting in a warm summer breeze.

The God of Music's eyes widened. "How would you know that? You just found out you were a demigod today."

I raised an eyebrow. "Did I?" An idea came to mind. "I can elaborate on what I just told you, which would seem fitting as you are the god of prophecy. Or you can find out eventually with the rest of the Olympians soon enough. I'll make you a deal: If I can't drive everyone to Camp Half Blood in less than five minutes, I'll tell you everything I know. But if, on the off-chance that I do, you'll have to wait," I reasoned.

Apollo frowned, and I suddenly felt someone prying into my thoughts, to which I delightfully welcomed them with an impenetrable wall to try to get through. Not today, Severus Snape. The sun god looked appalled that I just blocked him out of my mind, though he was curious nonetheless, it would seem. "Deal," he said. "Oh, and Nico? You're playing a dangerous game. I hope you know what you're doing."

"So do I."

Without another word, Apollo tossed me the keys. The Hunters protested.

"He's only 10!"

"He's a boy."

"You're seriously going to let him drive?"

"Make Zoe drive instead!"

"Nico di Angelo! Get back in your seat!" My sister shouted from the back.

I ignored her and sat in the driver's seat while Apollo stood next to me. I recalled the time Percy showed me the basics of his car, like the gas pedal and the brakes. He even let me drive around the beach once. Keep your foot on the gas pedal to move and press on the brakes to stop. I reassured myself. Should be simple enough.

Then again, the vehicle I learned from didn't fly.

Apollo held a stopwatch in his hand. "Ready?"

I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for my demise. "Ready."

I pressed the gas pedal _hard _and the bus surged upward. I zoomed through the states and the oceans, and all the little people below. I'm pretty sure I just made a couple states go from winter to summer in a couple seconds. Everyone held on for dear life, some were even screaming. Apollo looked a little green. But I didn't care.

However terrible I am, I will never be worse than Thalia.

I twisted the steering wheel like a madman, turning at break-neck speed at each direction, and almost falling out of my seat. All while Apollo hastily screamed, "LEFT! RIGHT! TURN ANOTHER LEFT!" into my now ringing ears. Before I knew it, I saw the familiar lake of the Long Island Sound and Camp Half Blood below. I wonder what the campers are seeing right now. Probably a flying yellow school bus riding an invisible roller coaster in the air. Perhaps they think they're witnessing the action of a _real life _magic school bus. Or maybe they're just too dumbstruck to comprehend what they're seeing.

"Okay, Nico. Take the landing nice and slow," Apollo instructed. It didn't escape me that he used the word "landing" instead of "parking". Honestly, I don't blame him. I attempted to land the bus. "Slower… slower… a little lower… slow down a bit, it's not like you're in a rush," he falsely reassured me. "An-n-n-d _stop."_

I successfully parked the magic school bus. Apollo glanced at the stopwatch and whistled impressed. "Congratulations, Nico di Angelo. You win the bet with a time of 4:47 seconds. I think that's actually a record. And you managed to not kill anyone either, which is definitely a plus."

I smirked triumphantly. It wouldn't have mattered either way you slice it if I won or lost. The Gods would still be informed of Gaea's soon-to-be awakening and Thalia still wouldn't have to drive the bus! But I'm really proud of myself for actually accomplishing the dare-devil feat.

I handed the keys back to Apollo and stepped out to find a crowd gathering around the magic school bus.

"Where did you learn to drive like that?" Percy asked incredulously behind me.

From you.

I shrugged nonchalantly. Grover and Thalia congratulated me and Annabeth ruffled my hair. "Why did you want to drive so badly?" The daughter of Wisdom asked.

"I'll tell you later," was all I said.

The Hunters stepped out of the bus, full blown glaring at me like I'm the worst boy they've ever encountered, and even Bianca looked a little irritable. But I honestly couldn't care less. I crossed off one of many things I need to do on my _Prevent the End of the World List. _I think I'll just refer to it as _the List _or maybe even the _P.E.W. List. _That decision is yet to be decided.

A/N

Which list name do you prefer? Tell me in the reviews!


	12. Chapter 11:

Chapter 11: "Just a Family Spat"

"This may come as a shock to you, but the Gods of Olympus _do _exist and live on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building! You are a demigod or half blood, meaning you are a child of a god and a mortal. The Gods have migrated through each continent and area of the world for centuries to find the heart of 'Western Civilization', meaning…" I stared blankly into the screen of the TV, wishing with every fiber of my being that this stupid orientation film would finally be over. Apparently it was directed by Apollo, which, given how the content of the film is presented, I'm really not surprised.

The film is both out-dated and terrible. And the worst part about it is that I already know everything there is to know about the demigod world. _I've lived in it. _I also already watched the film, and I am absolutely perplexed on how I used to like this. I sighed in boredom, fidgeting with the frays of the old couch.

Bianca and the Hunters immediately left to go find Cabin 8, leaving behind their stalker...er, I mean _Grover, _much to his disappointment. I'm like 90% he still followed them anyway. Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia all went to their respective cabins, but not before leading me to the Big House and leaving me into the hands of a welcoming Centaur in disguise and a not-so-welcoming God.

Before I knew it, the film was rolling the credits of all of the nymphs and satyrs that acted in the movie. I turned off the DVD player and made my way outside to the front porch to "meet" Chiron and Mr. D. I opened the squeaky screen door to find the Centaur and the God once again playing a game of cards on the porch. Mr. D sipped his Diet Coke and shuffled through his deck, while Chiron calmly placed a card down on the wooden table.

Chiron looked up from his cards. "Ah, Mr. di Angelo. I see you have watched the orientation film. Do you have any questions?"

"So… Apollo really directed the film?" I asked innocently.

"Indeed, he did."

"That explains a lot," I said simply, and Mr. D snorted without looking up. Chiron held back a smile. I thought about the conversation I had earlier with Annabeth. About everything I confessed, from the quests leading up to each war, and reciting the prophecies that decreed them. An idea crossed my mind: I could confess my secret to the Trainer of Heroes and the God of Wine. This could definitely get me an automatic ticket to an audience with the Gods, if I play my cards right. Although another thought occurred to me: How would telling my secret affect the outcome of the events that I have so dependably relied on knowing to change the future? If I tell them, word will spread like wildfire. The demigods, the Gods, _and _the Titans would know. Perhaps Gaea and her Giants too. Is the world ready to know yet?

No. Most certainly not.

Knowledge is power, and this power, especially in the wrong hands, could lead to catastrophic outcomes—variables I simply cannot afford. Not with so much at stake. I need to keep this well under wraps. I must only tell if _absolutely_ necessary, and only to those I trust.

Corruption seeds from greed, power, hate, and even survival. The people I trust most have to be better than this; above the expectations mankind has set out for all of us. I'm no saint, though Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are the closest I've ever come across to saints. They're the star players, and have earned every right to be. They will be the front-liners and I'll be the steady hand that guides them to a better future. The Gods have lost their parts in this future.

Meaning so has Chiron.

I discarded the idea of a confession and instead decided to build up the persona of the boy I used to be. "Are you really _the _Chiron, Trainer of Heroes?" I asked. I chose to mess with Mr. D a little. I turned to him and put on my best _in awe _expression. "Are you really _the _Wine Dude?"

Chiron nodded in confirmation and Mr. D looked rather annoyed. "Nick Acacio, if I hear you calling me 'the Wine Dude' one more time, I'll transform you into a bottle of Merlot—or better yet, you would make a nice dolphin. I may even drive you mad while I'm at it. I haven't had that kind of fun in _years._ You may call me _sir, _or _Mr. D. _Anything besides that and you'll wake up the next morning with flippers and a cork. Do I make myself clear?" Mr. D glared intensely with his maddening purple-grape eyes. He tried to look intimidating but I wasn't phased. I've been turned into several plants before—a dolphin and a bottle of Merlot is nothing.

The mental image of a guinea pig eating lettuce appeared in my mind. There's Percy, I recognized. Guinea pig Percy scampered around a tall, motionless pine tree. There's Thalia, I thought. Right next to pine tree Thalia, a lone cob of corn grew from the ground, drooping slightly. An-n-n-d there's me. The cob of corn suddenly morphed into a single yellow dandelion in a small planted pot. A heinous shadow approached the defenseless dandelion. "It's just a family spat, Nico," my evil stepmother said. "Just. A. Family. _Spat!"_ She bellowed at the quivering, traumatized flower. Although I grew fearful of the crooked queen, I have no regrets on what it said. Though at the time I wished for nothing more than to be human once again, to digest food properly, unlike the dreadful process of photosynthesis.

This? _This_ is true terror. Bianca, Hazel, and Jason will never understand the meaning of metamorphosis until they have experienced the transformation for themselves, as all children of the Big Three have. Heck, I've gone through it _twice! _They will know true terror soon, if fate has a say in it.

I should probably stop thinking about this.

"Yes, for the sake of your mental health, you probably should," Mr. D advised, looking more than a little disturbed.

Of course he read my mind. It's the only thing Gods seem capable of doing these days.

"Yes, I did just read your mind. Something I will never do again, rest assured. Not after what I just witnessed," the god of wine muttered to himself. "Dear _me, _what _did _you do to get yourself turned into a dandelion _and _a cob of corn?" He asked, astounded.

"Just a family spat," I replied simply.

Mr. D was not convinced whatsoever that it was "just a family spat", but I decided to spare him the details. What happens in the Underworld will _stay_ in the Underworld.

Chiron cleared his throat, looking quite perplexed between the whole exchange. "So, are there anymore questions, or shall I send someone to give you a tour around camp?"

"Nope, I think I'm all set. Thank you for answering my questions," I said hurriedly. No need to make this more awkward than it already is.

"Of course," The centaur said skeptically. "I do hope you enjoy your time here. We may, ah… experience some complications soon enough."

No doubt he's referring to unexpected quest #3, the next adventure of a certain troublemaking Son of Poseidon and deadly Daughter of Athena. "You know, I'm sure I can find my way around camp just fine. If I need help I can always ask a camper. Thanks again!" I said all too cheerfully, collecting my bag and practically bolting out of the scene.

"Watch out for that one," I caught Mr. D telling Chiron. "I have no doubt he'll be joining Jackson's crew soon."

Well, he's not wrong.

I thought about finding Annabeth and telling her my parentage, but something made me stop in my tracks. A weird vibe washed over me. I felt as if were being watched. I scanned the camp, searching for any wandering eyes. But everyone focused on their activities, seemingly unaware of my presence. So why do I have the feeling that I'm being watched? Something in the back of my mind told me to turn around and look up. I did.

Above, a gnarled hand clutched heavy brown curtains behind the window of the attic. The Oracle of Delphi gazed at me with glassy, lifeless eyes. Seeing the mummy host of the spirit of Delphi made me miss Rachel Dare, the new oracle. I wish she were here. Before this whole fiasco with Mother Earth started, Rachel and I were friends. She used to tell me visions she had, and if it weren't for her, I wouldn't have connected the dots on a lot of things. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have known I was Angel of the Prophecy of the Seven, that I alone possess the knowledge of _both _locations of Thanatos' doors.

I don't know what came over me, but suddenly my feet were walking on their own accord to the back porch of the Big House. As if in a trance, I made my way to the attic ladder silently, navigating every twist and turn with ease, following the invisible map etched into my skull. My hands unlatched the ladder for me as I climbed up to the dark, dusty attic.

I noticed the smell first.

The pungent scent of death, decay, smoke, and who knows what else lingered in the musty air. Around me, various artifacts and spoils of war lined the shelves. Claws, heads, bones, and more limbs of monsters floated in clear, labeled jars filled with sickly green liquid. Books, snow globes, and old rusty weapons seemed to have a home too along the shelves. Candles of melted wax lined the floor, leading a trail to the very back of the room where the dead Oracle of Delphi sat immobilized in an old wooden chair. I took a step forward and the candles flared to life one by one until the cursed corpse opened her glowing green eyes.

_Approach seeker, _her raspy voice resonated in my mind as green smoke filled the room, _and ask._

I swallowed the bile rising in my mouth. It's not that I'm afraid of the host of the Oracle of Delphi. I've had tons of experience with ghosts, ghouls, zombies, spirits, and skeletons, with me being the Son of Hades and all. No, what's terrifying me is the prophecy I'm about to hear. I used to be confident that I could save everyone, as I already know the events that will take place for the next four years. I've planned it all out, and I was going to search for ways to execute the plan in the least damaging way possible. But being given a prophecy means changing the whole game by Fate's desire, not my own. This prophecy would mean I am yet again in the dark with the events that will take place, that I won't know _how _to save the people I love. I'll be back to square one once again.

Overcome and adapt, I thought to myself. That's the only way you will get through this. Find loopholes in the framework.

I took a deep breath. "How do I change the events of the future? How do I stop Gaea?"

Bianca, Percy, Annabeth, Hazel, Will, Jason, Reyna, and my mother materialized in front of me out of the emerald smoke. This isn't my family. Their grating voices as they spoke a line of the prophecy one at a time, in order, proved as much.

_Angel of the Fallen, you shall heed to call,_

_You shall use your gifts of shadow to prevent a squall,_

_In four years time, the world shall rise anew,_

_Together you shall unite all half bloods and the Argo II,_

_You shall make a choice, both will cause unbearable pain,_

_In order to end Mother Nature's eternal reign,_

_A hero shall make a promise as they take their last breath,_

_To endure a fate far worse than death._

The smoke dissipated along with my friends and family. The flames of the candles snuffed out as a sudden gust of wind blew through the attic. The mummy grew stiff and silent, and I realized I'm now alone. I inaudibly mouthed the words of the prophecy, capturing the unsettling lines into my long term memory. Through all of the confusion the prophecy just produced, I dimly realized this is the first prophecy I've ever received.

I took a shaky breath, attempting and failing to collect my thoughts. I really need to tell Annabeth about this. I took one last look at the mummy sitting only a few feet away from me. So this is the Oracle my father cursed.

I thought about the vision I received instead of a chat with my mother's ghost. I thought about what my father had said when he cursed the Oracle to what could very well be eternal restlessness.

_I swear, as long as my children remain outcasts, as long as I labor under the curse of your Great Prophecy, the Oracle of Delphi will never have another mortal host. You will never rest in peace. No other will take your place. Your body will wither and die, and still the Oracle's spirit will be locked inside you. You will speak your bitter prophecies until you crumble to nothing. The Oracle will die with you!_

Although my father spoke harsh words, I could tell he actually cared about my mother's death. He cared that his children would never be treated as "normal", even among their own kind. He cared about the fact that there was seemingly nothing he could do but watch as Zeus eliminated us one by one. To the King of the Gods' eyes, we were merely obstacles in the way of _his_ glory, and my uncle was determined to make sure every last child of his brother was no more by the age of 16.

No wonder Dad wants nothing to do with the Olympians, I thought. Their King murdered his children and his lover.

Mother…

Is that what I used to call her? Did I call her Mom? Or maybe Mama? Another answer I will never know, thanks to the River Lethe. I couldn't help but wonder about her. What was she like? Was she always as stubborn as I saw her in my vision? Her exchange of words with my father echoed in my mind.

Certamente. _We will stay together. Zeus is_ un imbecile.

My mother was brave. I know that much. With the little information I could gather on her, I know Bianca's a splitting image of her, right down to the smile and, from what I can tell, personality. Except the eyes. One of the few things I inherited from my mother appearance-wise is her sharp, dark, yet soft eyes, and her olive skin tone. Did I inherit anything from her personality-wise too? It's likely. But then again, people didn't use to recognize me as the Son of Hades by just my appearance. My very aura is one of death—heck, I even _smell_ like death, according to Percy's cool pegasus, Blackjack. Although I wasn't always morbid and, well, on the brink of insanity. I used to be cheerful— annoyingly cheerful— and I wouldn't be surprised if Percy, or anyone really wanted to strangle me more than a couple of times. But grief and loss changes a person and I am a prime example of that.

But really, what _do _I know about my mother? What did she like to wear? What was her favorite color? Did she bake Bianca and I cookies when we were feeling down, or read us bedtime stories when we weren't tired? How did my father fall in love with an angel like her? Where did they meet? Was she kind? Was she selfless? What did she like to cook? Did she like cooking at all?

My mind was going a million miles an hour with all of these thoughts. No matter how many questions I asked, no matter how many times I searched, I would never know. The answers would forever be washed away with the Lethe. Even if I'm bold enough to ask my father, would he even tell me? Should I even bother him about this at all? He is a busy god, I don't think he would appreciate such questions. But still… I can't help but wonder. Maybe I got my mother's stubbornness after all.

Even with all of these thoughts, the most important question still remained: Where did Maria di Angelo go when she died? Elysium is definitely a strong possibility, and though it sounds ridiculous, the Fields of Asphodel might be likely too. But the Fields of Punishment? Out of the question. There's no way an angel like my mother could end up there, just like Bianca, Hazel, Percy, Will, Jason, Annabeth, Frank, and even Leo. It's simply not in their nature to end up there. Too heroic. Too selfless.

I sighed. It doesn't do to dwell on these dangerous thoughts. Especially for someone like me. I have a track record for searching, thinking, doing, and _feeling _things I shouldn't. And yet, I still let my curiosity run wild every time. I really should stop, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

And so, as I lay in my sleeping bag on the ground of the Hermes Cabin, I lie awake and continue to wonder. Only do I fall asleep to the soft, distant lullaby playing in the depths of mind. The lullaby is in Italian, and the voice singing it truly does sound like an angel.

Maybe it's just my wishful thinking, but the song sounds familiar, like I've heard it before. A dream, perhaps? Or maybe… maybe it runs deeper than that. Was this how my mother helped me fall asleep? No, it can't be from her. The Lethe washed her and her memory away.

But even as the song drifted me to sleep, I knew it was her. Somewhere, somehow, my deceased mother's voice filled my head with the sweetest of melodies.

I closed my eyes and slept peacefully, free of dreams for the first time since I can remember.


	13. Chapter 12:

Chapter 12: The Hunters vs. Monkey Ninja

I struggled to strap the loose armor around my small, skinny frame, feeling absolutely ridiculous while I did it. Percy watched amusingly, making zero attempts to help me. That's alright. I'll remember this. The next time Percy needs my help with something, I'll just be laughing the whole time he fails. I'm sure he would love that. Annabeth and Thalia seemed to be having trouble keeping a straight face. Okay, with Thalia, that's to be expected. But with Annabeth? I must look _really_ stupid right now to get a reaction out of her. Especially when she knows I'm not actually a helpless 10 year old. Without a word, Annabeth adjusted the straps and just took off my helmet.

"You probably won't need this," she said.

She's right, of course. This Capture the Flag game, the Hunters of Artemis have entered the arena. I think it's safe to say we're all thinking the same thing: We're screwed. Nevertheless, it doesn't hurt to try, even if we have lost _every. _Single. Game against the Hunters.

"Percy, I want you on border patrol. Thalia, I want you leading the strike team to get the flag. Stay in your positions. Do _not_ attempt to steal the flag on your own, even if you see an opportunity," Annabeth looked directly at Percy as she said this. "The ratio of campers to hunters is 3:2. If we stay in numbers, we might have a chance. Remember your positions and the plan. You may improvise if necessary," She commanded. Everyone nodded in confirmation. She turned to me. "Nico, I need to speak with you in private."

The daughter of Athena walked towards the edge of the woods, expecting me to follow. We trekked through the ferns and shrubs, until a small clearing came into view.

"Now, what is it you wanted to tell me?" Annabeth asked.

My hand subconsciously went to twist my nonexistent skull ring. _Crap. _I hoped Annabeth would have forgotten about that. But as all children of Wisdom should, she remembered.

"I… " I took a deep breath. I swallowed my fear. It wouldn't do me any good to lock this secret away. "I'm a son of Hades." I looked away, preparing for the worst. A shriek, perhaps. A look of disgust, maybe. For all I know, the coldness of a dagger upon my throat.

"I knew it!" Annabeth exclaimed. Surprisingly, her voice held no disgust or fear, just pure excitement. I released a breath I didn't know I was holding. "I mean, I noticed the similarities between you, Thalia, and Percy just by your whole demeanor in general. What really proved it was when you threw the sword at Dr. Thorn without hesitation. That's definitely something they would do! I had my suspicions that you were, at the very least a child of one of the Big Three, though I would have never guessed _him."_

"So… you aren't mad?" I asked hesitantly.

"No, Nico. I'm not mad," her voice descended into a softer tone. She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't be afraid of who you are. You are the son of the Lord of the Dead. Accept it. Embrace it. We don't get to choose where we come from, but we do get to choose who we grow to be."

The Daughter of Athena's words resonated in my mind. At this point, her voice has become my very conscience. As weird as it is to think, she's the angel I never knew residing on my shoulder.

Is she right? Can I truly be better than my deceased siblings? Children of Hades have all had a bad track record in general. The torment of isolation and bad luck certainly doesn't help either. We have no excuse for the transgressions we—or really—_they _have committed, though insanity always targets the loneliest first. Can I prove that not all children of Hades are evil? Can I restore the honor we've never really had in the first place? All I've ever wanted was to fit in. But now? Now I feel a desire to rise above the expectations of the Gods. The expectations of everyone, really. Can I do it?

"I don't need to be an oracle to know you're going to change the world someday, Nico. You probably already have," she stood up a little straighter and her hand retreated back to her side. "Is there anything else I should to know?"

"I think I can get that flag for you," I admitted.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Do you need a strike team to do it?"

"No."

"Alright, di Angelo. I trust you to get the flag on your own. Don't make me regret it," she warned. "Is there anything I should know about this mysterious method of your's?"

"Just one: Don't expect to see me until the very end of the game," I said cryptically. "You won't find me."

"I'll hold you to that," she replied. "We should be heading back now, the game is about to start."

We silently made our way back, both of us tense and anxious for the game to begin.

"Hey, the game's about to start. Where were you?" Thalia asked.

"Yeah, why have you two suddenly been so close lately?" Percy chimes in. "I know you guys just saved each other's lives, but I didn't think you would be so secretive all of the sudden. What's up with that?"

Annabeth and I shared a look. Before I knew it, a silent conversation of eyes commenced. _Should we tell them? _Annabeth asked.

_Not yet. Not until after the game. _

_You can't hold off this secret forever, Nico. We can trust them._

_I know, I just need a little more time._ I sent her a pleading look.

She surrendered, but I figured this would be the last time. _Fine, after the game we can tell them._

I turned back to a suspicious Thalia and Percy. "It's complicated. I'll tell you about it later."

"By 'later' do you mean—" Thalia was interrupted by the conch shell, signaling the game had begun. All the campers ran into the forest together, and Thalia and Percy went into their designated positions.

"Good luck, and get that flag for me," Annabeth said as she dashed into the forest, but not before placing on her cap and disappearing with the trees.

I looked around, making sure I was completely alone. I gripped my celestial bronze sword. It's too heavy and completely unbalanced, but it's better than nothing at all. I haven't tried shadow travel since I transported the Athena Parthenos. To be honest, I'm afraid to try it. I don't want to disappear or pass out for a week just like I did the first time I tried the disorienting way of travel. But if I'm going to help get the flag and bring shame to the Hunters, I'm going to need to suck it up and do it anyway.

I took a deep breath, picturing a destination deep in the shadows of the forest. With the image in mind, I sprinted into the nearest tree, bracing for impact. The shadows bent to my will, conceding to my demands and consuming me in their cold embrace. Suddenly the whispers of the dead echoed in my ears, the world a void of color and joy, only despair and anguish lingered in the freezing wind. I forced down my dizziness and kept focus on the target, willing with every ounce of my control to stay away from China. I do not want another visit to the Great Wall!

I stumbled out of the darkness and into a shady grove in the trees. I felt a little light-headed, but I didn't pass out or puke yet, which is definitely a plus. I took in my surroundings. The grove looked pretty empty, but I knew from experience that in the dark, you can never trust your eyes. I opened up my senses. A couple feet above and left of me, hidden in the shade were a couple of hunters. They haven't seen me yet, or else I probably would've been a pincushion right about now. I still have the element of surprise.

As quietly as panther, I scaled the tree, making sure to approach the girls from behind. I avoided the loose twigs and branches, and tried to shift my weight evenly to cause less disturbance. The three Hunters sat on a thick branch directly in the middle of the grove. A great vantage point, but a terrible hiding place if someone knew where to look. Directly above their heads, another branch winded through. An idea began to form. Maybe I don't need to take the Hunters down one by one, maybe I just need to cut the branch above their heads with enough force to knock them out. I glanced at my sword, which glowed with a faint golden aura. The branch looked to be only about 10 feet in front of me. The trajectory to throw the sword would definitely be a challenge, but if I angle the blade just right, with enough force it should cut the branch. I'm no child of Athena, but the theory seems pretty valid to me.

Here goes nothing, I thought. I'm royally screwed if this doesn't work.

I aimed the sword and flung it in the air. The sword impaled the trunk, and with another ounce of force, it could've cut the branch clean off.

But it didn't.

And now I am royally screwed. Curse my flimsily spaghetti arms!

The Hunters whirled around as soon as the sword whisked by. They yelled in alarm and fired a volley of arrows in my direction.

Uh, oh.

I lunged for cover and scrambled like a frightened squirrel along the branches. The arrows kept coming and I heard the insane girls right behind me. What am I supposed to do now? I wish Annabeth were here. She would know exactly what to do.

Think, Nico. Think. What would Annabeth do?

Then it came to me.

I sprung up, using my momentum to grasp the web of branches above me. The sharp twigs grazed my fingers and palms though I couldn't care less at the moment. I swung up, using the little upper body strength my tiny frame possessed to pull myself up. I somehow managed to roll to the left on the thick branch and dodge the next set of projectiles. I sprinted nimbly on the winding trunks to the cursed sword. I yanked it out of the unstable branch and turned. This time as the arrows whizzed to me, I sliced it in mid swing, and the broken arrows fell uselessly to the forest floor. I kept swinging and inching closer. The Hunters backed up, alarmed expressions painted on their faces.

Just as they shot another round of arrows, expecting me to slice them again, I dropped and swung like a monkey below them, building my momentum to twist my legs up and kick them off of the branch with all my might. Amazingly enough, they couldn't catch themselves in time, and they plummeted to the ground. They frantically tried to grasp the branches, and they managed. Though the branch snapped quickly, unable to hold all of their weight. The force of the fall knocked them out cold.

I breathed heavily and dropped to the ground silently.

I heard a snap of a twig and I spun around and put my sword right on the intruders throat, expecting a Hunter behind me. Instead of a boy-hating hunter, I caught a certain son of Apollo, who's eyes looked like huge blue saucers as he stared at me amazed. A glimpse of a memory resurfaced, only for a split second. The shade of Will's hair in the melancholy background, a sunny, golden yellow in the dreary grey, ruthless red, and soulless black.

I blinked to get my bearings. "Er… Sorry. I thought you were a hunter," I apologized awkwardly.

"How?! Where did you learn to fight like that?!" 11 year old Will Solace exclaimed. He didn't seem to acknowledge the fact that my sword was at his throat, even when I pulled it away.

"Okay, 1) What do you mean? 2) Shhh. We aren't alone in here. And 3) How long were you standing there?" I asked.

He looked to be contemplating my questions for a moment. "The monkey ninja moves you pulled, I'll be quieter, and I've been standing here since you flung that sword at the Hunters' heads—which is not cool, by the way!"

"I didn't fling at their heads, _idiota! _I flung it at the branch above their heads to knock them all out cold. But as you may have seen, I had to improvise a little," I replied in a hurried whisper, praying to the Gods that Will didn't see anything more.

He looked a little skeptical, but nodded anyway. Well, at least he isn't as stubborn as the older version of him. His bright, twinkling eyes, the shade of the evening sky, noticed my bleeding palms.

I thought too soon, I realized.

"You're bleeding," he said, as if it wasn't obvious already. Without warning, he held my hand in his and sung a quiet hymn, healing my palms completely.

"Thanks," I said, and I really meant it.

He smiled, and I could've sworn the whole forest lit up, if only for a second. "No problem."

"We need to get moving. Where is your group?" I said, climbing up the tree trunk once again. Will followed me up, keeping up with my rapid pace.

"I lost my group somewhere behind us. The hunters found us, and I barely managed to escape."

"Why didn't you fight back?"

"I'm a healer, not a fighter," he whispered gloomily. "By the way, I never caught your name. I'm Will, Will Solace. Son of Apollo."

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Nico di Angelo," I introduced myself somewhat hurriedly. "I would shake your hand but we really do need to keep moving if we're going to find the flag."

"Right. We need to keep moving," he repeated. The way he said "we," it sounded as if he were saying the word for the first time. It occurred to me that he may not want to go with me to find the flag.

"Listen," I said, climbing across to the next tree. "You don't have to go with me if you don't want to. I didn't mean to drag you along. If you want to go on solo from here, that's completely fine."

"Oh!" Will whisper-exclaimed. "I didn't mean it like that! It's just… no one's really included me in this kind of stuff before. It's nice to feel useful, even if we probably won't find the flag."

I stopped in my tracks and whirled around to face him. "Look, don't say that. As a healer, you have a unique ability that can _save_ lives, not take them away. That is by far one of the most useful skills a demigod can possess. Anyone can be a fighter, but it takes a special kind of person to be a healer. Don't sell yourself short. Also, we'll find that flag, all right. I'll make sure of it."

I'm not really sure where the speech came from, but I sincerely meant it. It seemed to make Will feel better, which is good.

"Thank you," he breathed. After a long moment, he spoke. "You want to be friends? Maybe we can hang out sometime after this?" I once again stopped in my tracks. I really need to stop doing that. But seriously? Will wants to hang out with me? The weird, annoying, now only slightly creepy and emo kid? Usually when I make friends, it's when we're in life threatening situations. Even then, we don't outright use the word "friend." This is the first time ever that someone wanted to be my friend in a not-so-life-threatening situation, and for me being me nonetheless. I considered this an achievement. For the first time since I can remember, I gave a small, warm smile.

"I would love to be your friend. And sure, we can definitely hang out sometime." Will smiled brightly and I found myself smiling brightly back.

Maybe starting over isn't so bad after all.


	14. Chapter 13:

Chapter 13: I Bungee Jump To My Death (Minus the Bungee Part)

Will and I continued to weave in and out of the branches of the trees, moving _somewhat_ silently, (Will can be rather loud) and heading for the anticipated direction of the enemy flag. We crossed paths with a handful of hunters, all of which we knocked out cold with my sword and Will's bow, though not very efficiently. How we managed to do it is still a mystery to me.

"How much farther do you think the flag is?" Will asked.

"Not sure. It could be anywhere really," I replied. I don't remember where the flag was the last time I played Capture the Flag with the Hunters. I didn't even have the job of finding the flag, I was simply border patrol. Percy and Thalia had that job and if I remember correctly, failed miserably. The Hunters probably moved the flag again, especially if they knew Annabeth Chase would be leading the Blue Team.

Then I began to think about it some more. What _would_ be the most logical hiding spot for the flag? What would be the best possible place in general?

The Hunters of Artemis certainly aren't stupid, if winning all 56 games against the campers is anything to go by. They aren't going to hide the flag out in the open, right?

But that's just it.

Maybe they will, a lure for the perfect trap to catch a couple of annoying demigods. The Hunters are swift and stealthy. They definitely wouldn't have a hard time hiding—_plotting_ for the right moment to sneak up on the enemy team and take them down. Perhaps leaving the flag out in the open _would_ be the most logical way to go about it. However, taking into account that they've used this strategy before—which is what Annabeth mentioned when explaining the plan—hiding the flag out in the open with easy access would simply look too easy. Their strategy would self-destruct before they even got a chance to use it.

Although, if they somehow managed to put the flag out in the open in some place with a treacherous terrain, the strategy would certainly work once again.

It would look difficult, and yet, still attainable.

Then it hit me.

Zeus' fist. That's where their flag is.

"I'll be right back," I said. Without warning I began to climb the tree, shifting to each branch and foothold.

"Where are you going?" I heard Will follow behind me. I struggled to pull myself up, though continued to inch slowly higher and higher up the trunk. A couple of branches would creek here and there, and I would quickly grab on to the branch beside it.

Just keep on climbing, don't look down, I kept thinking to myself. Just keep climbing.

As I ventured higher, the feeling of vertigo and fear didn't escape me. My knuckles turned white and my arms shook, but I kept my head high and fixed on the desired point: The very top of the tree. If I'm going to get any sort of vantage point, this is the way to do it. I need to figure out how far away Zeus' fist is from our location in the trees. If it's too far… well, I'm hoping I don't need to ditch Will.

Finally, after an agonizingly long time, (which was more like a minute, but who's counting?) I reached the very top. Needless to say, my fear of heights has only worsened. I wrapped my arms around the thin trunk and held on for dear life.

This is what my life has come to, I reflected. Battling genetically mutated monkeys, driving magic school buses, viewing terrible orientation films, recalling terrifying family spats, an-n-n-d now I'm about to bungee jump to my death… minus the bungee part. Super.

"Are you trying to look for the flag?" Will asked right next to me. Thankfully he and I have relatively the same weight, or else both of us probably would've fallen off the tree by now. Will, unlike me, looked perfectly comfortable and content up in the air. I could now clearly see that his eyes are the same exact shade as the sky, a brilliant blue, with his face in the background of the world around us.

"I'm trying to see how far away we are from Zeus's fist," I answered. my eyes scanned the distance for the unique formation of rocks.

Will pointed north, "That way."

My eyes followed his finger, and there I saw it. The familiar rock formation right on the side of the mountain, next to the forest… and also too far away to travel by foot.

I stared back at the son of Apollo, who confidently held on and gazed at the microscopic world below. I thought about how he followed me through the trees, how he helped me take down Hunters, and how he climbed up with me despite not needing to. I thought about how we became friends, and shared those bright smiles. I thought about the way we looked at eachother when Will worked to heal the long line of the wounded back in the war, which almost seemed like a world away—an awful nightmare I finally woke up from. Will needs to know.

Will _deserves_ to know.

I risked a glance below, and after adjusting to the spinning scenery, I noticed a thick patch of shadows on the forest floor—just enough to shadow travel the two of us.

"Do you trust me?" I asked Will.

"Of course," he said without hesitation.

I took a deep breath, "Look, I know this is going to sound insane, but I'm a time traveler. I've been sent from the future—which is four years from now—to fix a terrible mistake the Gods have made. And… I'm a Son of Hades," I admitted carefully, "Do you still trust me?"

Will blinked, attempting to process what he just heard. He hesitated, "I do. Sounds insane, but I do. I can sense that your telling the truth. One of the perks of being a son of Apollo."

I nodded. "Well, children of Hades have a special ability called shadow travel, where we bend the shadows to teleport and pop out in an entirely different place. I think I can use it to get us to Zeus' fist, but it's super disorienting, so I wanted to check with you if you're still willing to do this with me."

"Of course! What are friends for? How disorienting are we talking?"

"Like, puke or faint disorienting. Still with me?" I inquired.

"Still with you. Only problem—there are no shadows here, so how are we going to teleport?"

I smirked and Will's eyes suddenly widened, as if he read my mind. "Um, I don't think that's a good idea," he said, glancing down below.

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Climb down?"

"Takes too long, we've already climbed all the way up."

"And who's fault is that?"

"Hey! You're the one that decided to tag along, remember?" I fired back.

"... Fine. But if we end up in your dad's domain, I'm blaming you for it."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. But if it does, we can always be neighbors in Elysium," I said. "Grab on. Whatever you do, don't let go under _any_ circumstances!"

Will nodded nervously, looking quite fearful, and it suddenly occurred to me that I'm talking to an eleven year old. "Hey, I'll be with you the whole time," I smiled reassuringly, "And if you don't want to do it, you are more than welcome to climb down. I won't judge," I said gently.

"No, I want to do this. Let's go. I'm ready!"

Will did not look ready.

I sighed and shook my head. "You're sure?" He nodded vigorously, "Grab on."

Will death gripped my wrist, which I guess is fitting as we might as well be falling to our deaths at this point. "Ready?"

"Ready."

I dove off the tree, dragging Will with me, aiming for the pocket of shadows far below. Neither of us screamed—there was simply no time to scream. I shut my eyes tight and willed the shadows to wrap around us. I pictured Zeus' fist vividly in my mind, praying to every god that we don't die because we stupidly jumped off a tree to our impending doom.

I counted the seconds until we reach impact:

5

The wind whistled in my ears.

4

The shadows flickered.

3

The world passed by me in slow motion.

2

The shadows encased us.

1

We fell through the pool of darkness, into the void.

***This is a line break by the way.***

The whispers of the dead echoed through the shadow dimension. Everywhere I looked, the blackest of blackness surrounded me. I exhaled, and my breath swirled around me in a frosty cloud. The shadows tickled my skin with their cool touch. Suddenly my ears popped and light began to fill my vision.

I tumbled out of a shadow with Will behind me, and I collapsed from exhaustion. The world spun around me and I felt an overwhelming desire to pass out. "Nico? Nico, are you alright? Nico!" Will whispered in a garbled voice. Why does he sound like that? I tried to focus on Will's face, but I could feel myself slipping into the welcoming arms of sleep. Maybe I can rest my eyes, just for a moment…

Will's hands glowed a brilliant gold as they found mine. I gasped as warm energy surged through me. My vision cleared and my hearing returned from underwater.

"Will…" I blinked several times to regain my bearings. This certainly isn't the first time I've experienced side effects like these when shadow traveling, though usually I just sleep it off. However, I forgot that I don't have the same endurance I used to have—I've got the exertion of a spaghetti-armed 10 year old who has trouble holding a sword. I can't push myself like I used to. My body simply won't allow it.

"Nico! Oh thank the Gods you're okay! Are you alright? What just happened?!" Will exclaimed. He tried to be quiet, but freaking out doesn't exactly _tolerate _quiet.

"Will, I'm okay. Just some side effects I forgot about. I didn't realize how fast I would burn out," I answered, keeping my voice calm, level, and soft. There's no need to freak out Will anymore than he already is.

"'Just some side effects?'" He asked incredulously, "And you forgot to mention them?"

I pursed my lips, "I made a mistake. I thought I could handle shadow travel, but I'm not 14 anymore. I overlooked the side effects. Normally when I get tired, I sleep it off, though this jump was particularly bad," I looked away, unable to meet his piercing eyes, "I'm sorry I scared you. Thank you for healing me."

Will's eyes softened, but I could still clearly see the annoyance in his sky blue orbs. "It's alright, I'm just glad you're safe. Don't scare me like that again, Death Boy!"

I almost smiled at the Déjà vu. Will called me "Death Boy" when we first me at Half Blood Hill too. Looking back on it, the whole exchange seemed more humorous now then irritating. But I still haven't quite gotten over Will's chastising over using my "Underworld-y powers." If he thinks this is the last time I will unintentionally scare him, he is in for quite the ride. He did just make friends with a Son of Hades, after all.

"Are _you_ okay?" I asked.

"Besides the fact that I'm five seconds away from puking my guts out? Yeah, I'm great," Will replied. Sarcasm? I didn't know he had it in him.

"Where are we? Did we make it?" I scanned my surroundings for any familiar landmarks, or just the flag in general. Will scanned around with me. "I think we—" I stopped talking abruptly. There, in the distance, right below Zeus' fist, the silver flag sparkled like luminescent metal in the evening sun, "There it is! I was right!" I felt a rush of triumph, bu-u-u-t it quickly vanished when I glanced at exactly _who_ is guarding the flag. There, all decked out in silver with a confident expression on her face, stood Bianca di Angelo. Next to her, an unfamiliar Hunter guarded by her side.

Yep, we are doomed.

"Oh no," I voiced involuntarily.

"'Oh no?' What does 'oh no' mean?"

"See that girl, standing on the left side?" I pointed. He poked his head out from the tree trunk, the only thing that's preventing the Hunters from seeing us. He nodded, "That's my sister, Bianca. She just became a Hunter not 24 hours ago. We've been having a couple of… _family spats. _The thing is, she's a really inexperienced Hunter, but a _good_ one. There's no way we can just hit and run with the flag without getting caught. As you may have noticed, we both have chicken legs, meaning we won't run very fast, especially against two speed-enhanced Hunters. If we're going to get past them _with the flag,_ we're going to need to play this smart. Meaning we're gonna need a distraction," I mused, turning my still non-existent ring. Then my eyes drifted to Will.

His eyes widened in understanding.

I hate throwing Will under the bus—I truly do. But this is our only option. In terms of distractions and diversions, Will definitely takes the cake with that hair of his.

"Um, I don't know about this."

"Will, don't take this the wrong way, but your hair is literally the equivalent of the sun, especially in the dark. If anyone can create a diversion, it's you. I believe in you, Sunshine." The name rolled off my tongue so naturally, yet it was so unfamiliar to my vocabulary. "You can do this. I'll be right behind them, silently stealing the flag while you distract them with your arrows. Do you have any other abilities that might be useful in this situation?"

"Well…" Will's face lit up, like, it _literally _lit up, "I have a really high pitched whistle that's an amazing stunner and super effective! I can also curse people with rhyming couplets for a week, if that's any help."

I brought my hand to my chin and contemplated for a moment. "The first option sounds more effective. The second option seems good too, though I don't think Bianca would appreciate speaking in rhyme for an entire week."

"Sounds good. So, what's the plan, Death Boy?"

"I'll sneak from behind and grab the flag, while you distract from the front. Do whatever you see as fit, just try not to get yourself killed—or worse—_expelled,"_ I paused, waiting to see if he got the reference.

Will smiled, "Whatever you say, Hermione Granger."

My lips curled into a smirk, "When I grab the flag, I'm going to try to knock them out. That would be a really good time to use your whistle. When they're out cold, we run," I explained.

"And what happens if that doesn't work? What will be plan B?"

"We run like the wind."

"There's no change in that plan," Will pointed out.

"It's called improvising. Adapt and overcome," I clarified.

"I don't think running away is adapting and overcoming."

"It is with the Hunters of Artemis."

"... Touché. Do you always argue with your friends?"

"I don't have friends," I instinctively answered. Then I thought about it for a moment. "Well… no, not really."

"That's kind of depressing, not gonna lie."

"Welcome to my life," was all I had to say to that.

Will found a high, somewhat concealed vantage point amidst the trees, while I vanished into the shadows and silently made my way behind the Hunters. I moved like a panther, my figure lithe and quick, my sight keen. Will fired his first arrow when I gave him the signal. Bianca and Hunter #2—the name I now dubbed her—fired back with alarm. A flory of bronze and silver sparkled like a miniature meteor shower back and forth. My sister and Hunter #2 ventured closer, brandishing their silver hunting knives and advancing. Will, being the clever son of Apollo he is, moved back.

My hand drifted over the flag, which had been disregarded in the frenzy.

_Ha! _Nico 1, Hunters 0.

Of course, Bianca took the liberty of glancing behind her at that exact moment. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. "Nico?! What are you doing here?!"

I suppressed a sigh. Why does this always happen to me? Nico 0, Hunters 1.

I snatched the flag and made a break for it.

"Oh no you don't!" Bianca made a grab for me, but my demigod reflexes kicked in and I side-stepped. She slashed her hunting knife at me, though I could tell she didn't mean it. Hunter #2 chased after Will as he ran the other way. Bianca attempted to slash again and I kindly blocked with my liable celestial bronze sword. A deadly dance ensued, one of slashing, blocking, twirling, and dodging—though not necessarily in that order. Bronze and silver collided.

I risked a glance to see how Will's holding up, and found him shooting another volley of arrows at a very impatient hunter.

"Why are you out here all alone? Where is your group?" Bianca interrogated. I wasn't sure if she was trying to distract me, or if she was genuinely curious.

"Hunter #2 is fighting my group right now. Also, stop talking to me," I gritted my teeth as Bianca forced me on defense.

She briefly glanced at Will and Hunter #2 out of the corner of her eye. "There's only one person there."

"I know."

I recalled the different strategies one can use with daggers and knives. As short as the blades are, they can be quite effective against a sword, especially an unbalanced one. Short blades are designed for people who like to get up close into someone's space. Daggers and knives can be even more deadly in the offensive, but practically useless for defensive. Swords on the other hand, can be incredibly versatile depending on the user. Most people are aggressive fighters, though some are more comfortable blocking. I'm somewhere in the middle in that spectrum. I prefer to get aggressive, but with my stamina, I can't afford to use it every fight. Sometimes, resorting to defensive can be really conservative of your energy and generally tires the opponent out.

Though if I'm going to outmatch Bianca, I have to be more aggressive.

I thrust my sword towards her dagger, and she blocked expectantly, but I feigned it and aimed for her feet instead. Startled, she jumped up and lost her balance. Just as quickly I gained the upper hand. I spun around and slashed at random, careful not to cause any damage, but enough to scare the living dead out of my sister. She's fast, though not fast enough.

Bianca parried and dodged, struggling to keep up. Am I being too merciless? Probably. Although Bianca's sharp words were certainly encouraging. Besides, I really want the Campers to win for once. I continued to keep a steady pace, slowly but surely backing Bianca into a tree. I stabbed half heartedly at any openings I could fine, which unsurprisingly, given Bianca's experience, were a lot. My sister grunted in frustration and swung carelessly. She stepped on a root and stumbled. I grabbed her forearm instinctively.

No! My mind screamed. Why did you catch her? An opportunity wasted!

Why _did _I catch her?

"Thanks," she panted.

"No problem." Well, it _was _a problem, but I'm not about to tell her that.

We resumed fighting as if nothing happened.

My spaghetti arms grew tired and flimsy. I can't go on much longer. I have to end this now. I swung my sword at her knife and pushed down with all of my weight. Bianca's arms shook as she struggled to keep the dagger away from her vicinity. I pushed harder. Just as the dagger finally conceded, a cry came from behind me.

"Nico!" Will's voice echoed in the clearing. I turned and instantly regretted it. Bianca snatched my sword out of my hand. Next thing I know, my sword and her dagger hovered over my chest. A few feet away, Will had a silver hunting knife pointed at his throat. I surveyed the situation. Will and I are both powerless in these positions. I don't have enough strength to disarm Bianca, and I doubt Will does either. Physical strength is out of the question. What can we do? We can wait, but I did promise Annabeth I wouldn't be seen. So what's the best option? I racked my brain on what Will said only moments before.

_I have a really high pitched whistle that's an amazing stunner and super effective!_

That's it.

"Will, do the thing."

His eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"Definitely."

"What's 'the thing?' What is he talking about?" Hunter #2 interrogated.

"Nico, what's going on?" Bianca asked tiredly.

I ignored her. "It's the best chance we've got."

"But you'll feel the effects too," Will reasoned.

"I know the risks." A look passed between us, one of understanding. He nodded. I braced myself.

Will blew his hypersonic whistle and Bianca and Hunter #2 winced, covering their ears. I winced too, but I refused to concede to the cacophonous sound. The whistle was appalling to my ears, though it's nothing compared to the horrific symphony of the fallen, a tune that shook me to my very core.

The ringing in my ears subsided.

I freed myself from my sister's not-so-loving arms, retrieved my sword, and reclaimed the silver flag from the overgrown grass. I dashed out of the clearing with Will right beside me, though not before disarming the Hunters and throwing their weapons far out in the forest. Good luck finding those. Bianca and the unnamed hunter were still recovering, quivering in the grass with their eyes shut tight.

We ran like the wind, breezing through the unmoving trees and moving Hunters. They hunted us like bloodhounds, shooting arrow after arrow. But Will and I refused to relent, refused to back down. Not when we're a yard away from the creek. I prayed to Nike that she would grant us victory for the first time since all 56 games and I prayed that our chicken legs would carry us over the boundary line. My knuckles turned white around the handle of the flag.

Will wheezed, and I knew I wasn't much better, "We're so close, yet so far!"

I willed my legs to sprint faster. The sound of the Hunters' footsteps behind us were our motivation. I suddenly heard commotion and I risked a glance behind me. What I saw shocked me.

Thalia, Annabeth, and a whole bunch of Campers we're currently wrestling the Hunters of Artemis, neither group backing down, "Keep going, Nico! Don't stop!" I quickened my pace and I felt a cramp forming just below my rib cage. Percy noticed Will and I sprinting to the creek, and he raised his arms. A wall of water formed, preparing to crash down on the enemy. I gasped as an arrow pierced my skin. I stumbled and fell.

Will whirled behind me, "Nico! Are you alright? What happened—" he paled considerably when he noticed the silver arrow sticking out of my calf. My blood flowed down in a river of crimson.

"Take the flag and get to the creek!"

"But—" I interrupted him.

"There's no time! Take the flag and leave me behind!" I insisted, shoving to flag into his hands.

"Never."

Will hoisted me up and dragged me with him. The flag dangled in my bloody hand. Percy joined us and placed my right arm over his shoulder. Together, all three of us crossed the creek line as a wave of water crashed into the Hunters of Artemis. The cheers of Chiron's Campers overcame the shrieks of Artemis' Hunters. The flag shifted from silver to black, and finally settled on a luxurious shade of gold.

Everyone crowded around us, singing songs of victory and cheering for the unprecedented win. They glanced above my head expectantly as Will tended to my leg.

They're waiting for a claiming. I thought. They actually think my father is going to claim me.

Fat chance. Especially after what Zeus did to my mother...

"Congratulations, Nico!" Percy exclaimed, ruffling my hair.

"It wasn't just me. If it weren't for Will, we wouldn't have won," I pointed out. Percy's gaze shifted to Will, and he studied the Son of Apollo as if he were looking at him for the first time.

"Thanks, man. You did good. Both of you."

A soaking wet, exhilarated Thalia and Annabeth made their way over to us, "Looks like you were right after all, Neeks. How did you do it?" Annabeth asked.

Will and I shared a quick glance, which didn't go unnoticed by the Daughter of Athena, "Later."

She nodded, getting the message. Thalia and Percy adopted identical expressions of skepticism, but didn't comment.

A thought occurred to me: The fight between Percy and Thalia hasn't broken out! My theory worked, I changed an event by changing my actions. Then the next thought occurred to me: Where is the guest of honor?

My answer came by shrieks and screams as everyone turned around.

There, slowly walking in the field, the mummified Oracle of Delphi made her way to us.


	15. Chapter 14:

A/N

Hey, the8Horcrux! To answer your question, no I am not British. I'm American. I didn't know I wrote like I'm English, I guess Harry Potter has really stuck with me. One more thing, I'm going to update a little slower so I don't run into writer's block and I can actually take my time with these chapters. Anyways, as always enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 14: the Voice

Zoe Nightshade hesitantly made her way through the disturbed crowd. I forgot how creepy it was to witness the Oracle of Delphi actually _walking_ towards us. It's one thing to see her come to life and talk, but it's another to see her leaving the attic to find you, not the other way around. The Oracle stopped right next to a rock situated in the open field. The lieutenant of Artemis walked the rest of the way with a somber look on her face.

The Oracle of Delphi opened her mouth and green mist spewed out just like yesterday. Her raspy, grated voice seemed to be filling everyone's heads, not just mine. _Approach seeker, and ask._

Zoe spoke quite shakily. "Tell me what I must do to save my goddess."

_Five shall go West to goddess in chains,_

_One shall be lost in the land without rain,_

_The bane of Olympus shows the trail,_

_Campers and Hunters combined prevail,_

_The Titan's curse must one withstand, _

_And one shall perish by a parent's hand._

I flinched at the second line. My hope deflated. The prophecy still hasn't changed, even with me being here! The events will happen all over again! There's nothing I can do to stop it. My sister, both of them, and everyone I love will die. I was dimly aware that the Oracle sat down on the rock like a statue, forever unmoving.

_Prophecies almost always have double meanings._ The familiar voice returned to my conscious. _You know the first meaning—create another. Find the loopholes in the framework. Follow the prophecy, but with your own design._

That… that might work. Whoever is talking to me is clearly very educated in terms of prophecies. But which lines will I change? Only five people can go West, so unless I find a way to leave with the Five, I can't change anything. I can try replacing Bianca, though I doubt Zoe will choose a boy over a Hunter, let alone a 10 year old. Maybe I can pull a Percy and ride on a pegasus there? Well, shadow travel anyway. Being on a pegasus means crossing both of my uncles' domains and I really can't afford to die. Not this early, anyway. Maybe I can go with Percy? It would certainly give Zeus an excuse not to shoot Blackjack down, as a horse is technically in Poseidon's domain and Percy is a Son of Posiedon. Or maybe I can just shadow travel there on my own? But where would "there" be? I know for a fact the crew won't be staying in one place for too long, especially with monsters and skeletons on their tail. I know where they're going, I know how they will get there. However, for the life of me, I don't know _when._

"Mr. Jackson, Ms. Grace, would you be so kind in carrying the Oracle back inside to the attic? We mustn't leave her body out to decay, especially in this weather. The councilors and I will wait for you downstairs in the meeting room," Chiron said, "The rest of you, please make you way back into your cabins for curfew."

Everyone besides the councilors headed towards their respective cabins, groaning now that the excitement of Capture the Flag is over. Percy and Thalia reluctantly carried the Oracle of Delphi back to the attic. The Stoll brothers darted over to Zoe Nightshade.

"Hey, as an honorary truce, do you want this t-shirt we bought from the camp store? You know, to remember the 56 different times you beat us Campers at in Capture the Flag?" The t-shirt looked inconspicuous enough. It was a simple orange Camp Half Blood shirt. But this shirt is from Travis and Conner Stoll, Sons of Hermes, meaning it's probably lined with poison or something. And they most definitely did not "buy" the shirt. Zoe looked suspiciously at the shirt and turned it away, but the Stolls kept insisting. Exasperated, she took the shirt and handed it over to Phoebe, who studied the shirt with curiosity.

Wait…

My brain slowly connected the dots. That t-shirt is lined with centaur's blood, if I remember correctly. Phoebe is practically Artemis' third in command and is most likely going to put on the t-shirt because it was given to her by Zoe. If she puts on the t-shirt, she will break out in severe hives and won't be able to go on the quest. If she isn't able to go on the quest, Zoe will choose Bianca to go on the quest instead. If Bianca goes on the quest, she will die.

I'm going to have to take that t-shirt away.

I steeled myself to walk up to the Hunters, contemplating the best way to inform them that the t-shirt is lined with centaur's blood. However, I stopped in my tracks when the mysterious voice spoke yet again.

_Do not take the t-shirt away. It is imperative Bianca goes on the quest._

Instead of following orders, my curiosity got the better of me. I decided to try questioning in my head, _Why? Who are you?_

To my surprise, the voice answered back. _If Bianca does not go on the quest, there will be no reason for you to go. You will miss a prime opportunity to testify against the Gods and explain why it is crucial that they begin war preparations now. Artemis has been begging Zeus to prepare, as she has been noticing an increase of stirring monsters. But Zeus will not listen to reason. You must convince him otherwise._

_Okay, makes sense, but why don't I just tag along on the quest anyway?_ I reasoned, _Also, you didn't answer my question._

_They will never allow it. Even if you did sneak in, they will send you back. Bianca is your only personal tie at the moment._

_But Annabeth will be on the quest! _I protested, _She would let me stay._

_Are you sure Annabeth is going? _She asked.

_Of course I am! Annabeth and Percy have always gone on quests together!_

_And what makes you so sure Percy Jackson is going? _She questioned.

I was about to retort: Annabeth is in trouble. Though I already saved Annabeth, meaning she isn't abducted and at Mt. Orthys. Would Percy still go? I decided to try a different approach.

_Because Percy can't stay away from quests?_

I could've sworn I sensed an amused smile on the other end, _Do you see what I mean? We are not certain Percy Jackson will leave on the quest. So we must take precautions._

_But my sister…_

_You have a brave heart, young Angel. You will find a way to save her with a loophole of yours, I am certain of it._ I wanted to protest, I wanted to argue, though I chose against it. This woman was kind enough to send me back in time to fix my mistakes, something no other hero has been offered before. She went through all the trouble to do it, and here I am arguing with her. She no doubt has more experience with this sort of thing than I do. I'm being incredibly rude.

_I'm sorry._

_Don't be, you were merely curious. You have every right to be. I enjoy being challenged with strategic minds such as your own. That is why I look forward to discussions with Athena, _The mysterious voice replied.

_Would you be so kind as to reveal who you are?_ I asked as politely as I could.

_I'll give you a hint: We have met and talked several times before. Come seek me out, and you will know who you are talking to. I am always close by…_

And with that, I felt her presence leave my mind, forcing me to my own thoughts.

"See you later, Death Boy. I have to go join my siblings now. I'll see you around?" Will asked.

I gave him a small wave. "Yeah, I'll see you around."

The clearing soon emptied, and I found myself completely alone. I need to find out who sent me back in time. The woman said she's close by, which could mean a number of places. She also said she enjoys having intellectual conversations with Athena, which most likely narrows her down into the Goddess category. She's polite too, and doesn't treat me like a nuisance to be dealt with, or someone below her. So Hera and Artemis are automatically out of the question. That leaves Aphrodite, though this doesn't seem to match her behavior, or her requests for that matter. Not a single comment about love or fashion was mentioned in the conversation. It can't be Demeter. She didn't say anything about cereal, or complain about her daughter lacking time with her. I know for a fact that this isn't Persephone. She is _way_ too nice to be Persephone. I've never met Hecate before, so she isn't it either. So who is it? I've only met a handful of Gods, and a small percentage of which have been Goddesses. I drifted back to the clue about what the mystifying Goddess said.

_I am always close by..._

Who do I know that I talk to frequently, is a polite goddess, and is always close by?

The answer hit me like a train.

I dashed to the cabins to find the campfire.

I spotted The goddess tending to the hearth, as always, in the most inscrutable way possible. She looked like an ordinary 8 year old in disguise. But I knew better. Most campers ignore her, thinking she's just another camper hanging by the campfire. They never stop to chat with her, they don't even try to make friends with her. She slowly fades into the background as the years go by.

"Lady Hestia?" I asked. I bowed in respect.

She looked up, and her warm ember eyes met mine. Hestia smiled kindly, "Nico di Angelo, I see you have connected the dots with the hints I gave you. There is no need to bow to me, I am not like other goddesses. Personally, I find bowing to be quite annoying at times. Come," she beckoned, "We have much to discuss by the fire."

I seated myself on the wooden bench right next to the goddess, raising my hands by the fire to melt the ice in my fingertips, "Why did you send me, out of all people, back in time? Why not a hero like Percy, Annabeth, or Hazel? Why me?"

She raised her eyebrows in surprise, as if the answer was obvious, "I believed you, and you alone would have the greatest chance at altering the events of the past in order to save the world. Unlike most demigods, your loyalties lie with your family. You would do anything for them. You will and already have gone to great lengths to save _everyone, _even when they regarded you as an outcast. If it weren't for your actions, many of Percy Jackson's feats would not have come to pass. You are the glue that has held and brought everyone together."

"But I don't understand. Percy is the glue, not me," I argued.

"Who discovered the Romans first? Who found a Roman sister and brought her back to life? Who united the Greco-Roman Pantheons by retrieving the Athena Parthenos? Who was asked specifically by the Praetor herself, to govern New Rome beside her? It is you, Nico."

Hestia has a point. I never really thought about it that way. I frowned, "That still doesn't explain why I would be most suitable for the task. Percy is the hero of each quest that has come to pass. He is one of the Seven! I'm a nobody. There's a reason why I'm always in the background. If anyone should have a greater influence, it's him."

"Are you sure about that? He may be one of the greatest demigods to ever live, but he is not the most powerful. That title goes to you, Nico. You have managed a feat no other demigod, even the Son of Posiedon, has achieved: Unity. Peace. You recognized that Roman demigods are not so different from us," she took my hand in hers and smiled sadly, "That is why you must be entrusted with this heavy burden, for you are the only demigod that will not break or bend. The Prophecy of the Seven did not proclaim you 'Angel' because of your last name, Son of Hades. The Fates have deemed you the Herald, the Guardian, the Hope of all demigods alike because that is what you are. Angels are meant to guide others through hardships and pain, and that is what I have sent you to do. That is what you have _already_ begun."

"Angels can't change the future," I whispered.

"You will be different," she announced irrefutably. I nodded, finally understanding what she meant. Percy and the Seven are the main players. I'll be the guide that keeps them out of trouble.

"Besides, I have grown quite fond of you ever since you first sat beside me. You understood my loneliness and kept me company. For that, I am grateful. You and I, we are similar in many ways. When all has perished, we still live on. We are not the archetypes of our kind. Our hope is forever unwavering. You have grasped an understanding of family and love, a certain wisdom even I could not have taught you. I am unbelievably proud of what you have accomplished, Nico di Angelo. Of what you represent; what you live for. Will you do me the honor of becoming my champion? Of truly representing all that I stand for?"

I was speechless. A goddess—my _favorite_ goddess, just asked my to become her champion. I was about to say yes, but I hesitated.

"What are the conditions?"

"To continue to put family before yourself. To strive to be eternally loyal to your loved ones. All of which you already live by. That is all that I ask. Should you choose to be my champion, there will be certain perks: if you light a fire at any location, all you have to do is pray to me and a healthy meal will appear to you. You will also have the power to travel by hearth to hearth, which I think you will find conserves your stamina. Finally, you will unlock a special ability of your father's—the control of Greek Fire. Do you accept?"

This time, I didn't skip a beat, "I do."

"Repeat after me: I—say your name—pledge my loyalty to Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth. I put the needs of my family above my own and represent all that the Sacred Hearth stands for. I shall guard Elpis, spirit of hope, and guide others to do the same."

I reiterated the pledge. "Is that all?"

"I, Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth, accept your pledge," Hestia's symbol, a hearth and a flame, shone above my head before disappearing into the setting sun. The symbol was slightly smaller than a claiming.

"Thank you, Lady Hestia," I smiled brightly.

Hestia laughed good-naturedly. "No formality is required! You may call me Aunt Hestia, if you wish. When the time is right, you must join the Five on their quest. Now off to bed with you. Feel free to contact me whenever you need me and I will answer."

A thought occurred to me, "How did you manage to send me back in time?"

"I gained the help of Hecate. She casted a time travel spell, one that can only be used once each millennia. The enchantment takes time to cast. We were nearly too late," the goddess said sadly.

"Is that how you possess the knowledge that you sent me back? You helped cast the spell?" I inquired.

"Yes, and that is how Hecate knows, even now, as well. Unfortunately, time travel does not come with a clear instruction manual. That is another reason I decided you would be best suited for this dire quest—you know how to think ahead."

I nodded. I do have a particular knack for forward-thinking. All thanks to Mythomagic.

"Best of luck to you, Nico di Angelo," Hestia said. "You will need it."

"Thanks, Aunt Hestia."

"The Five are leaving tonight. Plan accordingly when the best time to meet up with them would be. Or don't meet up with them at all. Following them is a valid strategy. I am sorry that I cannot aid you anymore."

We said our goodbyes and I quietly snuck into the sleeping Hermes cabin. After checking to make sure everyone is asleep, I emptied my rucksack of my belongings on the hardwood floors and silently packed for the quest I'm going to hitchhike. I packed a couple of changes of clothes, my sleeping bag, my sketchbook, my pencil and colored pencils, and a single Mythomagic card: Hades, the God of the Underworld, Lord of the Dead. The rest of my cards I stacked neatly in my tiny corner of the cabin floor. I collected my things and shadow travelled out of the cabin. I appeared outside of the forest from the trunk of a maple tree. I plopped myself down against the tree trunk.

I unsheathes the hidden dagger in the folds of my jacket and twirled it in my fingers. The dagger had a simple design, a celestial bronze, leaf-shaped, 5 inch blade with a leather hilt. I snatched it from the armory when I tested out the different swords to use for the Capture the Flag game. The dagger is a little on the light side and a bit unbalanced, but it will have to do for the time being. At least until I figure out how to venture down into the Underworld to make myself a stygian iron sword.

I pocketed the dagger and opened the sketchbook. The pages were simple enough. All in an off white color, like ivory. I began to sketch with my pencil. At first, I drew random lines aimlessly and frivolously. Soon, the lines formed into shapes of all variations and sizes. Before I knew it, my pencil moved with a purpose, shading in all the right places and texturizing the shapes to add definition. Then I took out the colored pencils.

As if in a trance, my fingers moved for me as they searched for the perfect hues to brighten the drawing. A rainbow of colors seemingly exploded on the page. Thousands of shades dotted the paper in intricate petals as a ruthless red sky emerged in the background. The petals are wildflowers—thousands of them. The wildflowers appeared innocent, almost—oblivious of the darkness looming over them. The shades looked familiar. Why do they look so familiar?

The answer hit me, and it hit me hard.

I recognized the sea green of Percy's eyes, the stormy grey of Annabeth's, the royal purple of Reyna's cloak, the dazzling gold of Hazel's irises, and the periwinkle-blue of Megan's frosted orbs. I swallowed the bile rising in my throat. A single shade stuck out the most. The color of sunshine in the midst of the backdrop.

Will.

These shades are a symbol of all of the souls who have fallen in the brutal battle. Of all of the souls who have received untimely deaths within the timeless memories of war.

The many shades of my revenge, I thought bitterly.

Is it so wrong that I wish to join them? To leave behind all of my troubles, just like they did? I miss Hazel so much. I would do anything to see that smile of hers again. I don't want to fight anymore, and yet the war of demigods has only just begun.

The Fates simply refuse to give me a break. And honestly? I don't blame them.

It took me a second to register my hyperventilation. I found it hard to breathe, even as my lungs sucked all the oxygen around me. I began to shake uncontrollably. The color pencil dropped from my hand. I was too distracted to wonder which color. What did I just draw?

I stared at the horrific picture, studying it. The sketch looked so life-like—so _real. _It was as if the war was happening all over again, this time in the deepest caverns of my mind. I can't believe I just drew this.

I heard a noise near the stables. I slipped my sketchbook, pencil, and colored pencils in my rucksack and put it on. I took a shaky breath, trying to gather my bearings, and whatever else is left of my sanity. I have an inkling feeling I know who's making all of the commotion. I slipped into the shadows and silently migrated to the stables.

"Hurry up, Seaweed Brain, or we're going to miss them!" I heard a certain Daughter of Athena say not-so-quietly.

I hung around in the shade of a nearby stable and watched the seen play before my eyes. Percy was hooking a saddle around Blackjack and talking to him, which definitely is still a weird sight to see, even if he is a Son of Posiedon. Annabeth hovered over him, anxious to leave. I don't blame her. I've heard Zoe Nightshade drives like a speed demon.

"I know you want donuts, Blackjack. But we're kind of in a hurry here. Maybe we can get donuts along the way? We really need to get going," Percy said to his loyal pegasus. Blackjack sounded a series of snorts, neighs, and grunts. Percy nodded getting the message, "If we have time, we can stop by the drive-thru," Percy turned to Annabeth, "Wise girl, you don't happen to have any sugar cubes or donuts, do you?"

Annabeth walked up to Blackjack somewhat apologetically, "Sorry, Blackjack. I don't have any donuts or sugar cubes on me," she glanced at Percy, "Are we ready to leave? The harpies are bound to catch us soon."

I decided now would be the best time to make my presence known. I strolled out of my hiding spot and made my way over to them, "I'm coming with you," I announced.

The two older demigods whirled around. "How long have you been standing there?" Percy questioned.

I crossed my arms, schooling my face, "Long enough to know you two are going to follow Zoe and friends on their quest to free Artemis, and I want in," I replied without missing a beat.

"Absolutely not. You're too young to be going on a quest. It's too dangerous," the Son of the Sea God said.

"I'm perfectly capable of handling myself, Jackson. Besides, hasn't anyone ever told you looks can be deceiving? I'm not as young as I look. Annabeth can tell you as much. Whether you like it or not, you need me," I claimed. Percy glanced at Annabeth disbelievingly, giving her a Is he actually serious right now? look. The Daughter of Athena, however, didn't pay any attention to her best friend. Her storm shaded eyes, harder than steel met mine.

_Will you finally tell him?_ She wordlessly asked me.

I nodded in reply.

"Nico's right. He will be a lot more help than you could ever imagine, Percy. He's coming with us. He has an agenda he needs to complete, and I'm not about to be the person who stands in his way."

"How can he possibly help us?" The savior of Olympus turned his attention back on me, "Look, don't take this offensively. But one Capture the Flag win isn't going to make you magically invincible. You're an inexperienced demigod who needs to keep training. Bottom line, you shouldn't be going period."

"He has way more experience than us _combined,_ Seaweed Brain," Annabeth retorted.

"And why is that?" Percy fired back.

"I'm a time traveler," I deadpanned.

And that's how I hitchhiked a ride with Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase into the not-so-unknown.


	16. Chapter 15:

Chapter 15: "Always"

"So, let me get this straight: You're from the future. You've lived through all of these events before. You're the son of the Silent One, who should really be nicknamed the Helpful One. You're saying Kronos is actually the least of our problems, as our great-grandmother who is also the earth is waking up, and that's even worse than a cannibalistic psycho grandpa. You've fought not one, but two wars in the span of _two years. _Annabeth and I are one of Seven who have been prophesied to save the world, which will be told by a girl I accidentally stab after she blows her nose. The Greek demigods are not the only demigods to exist. There are more of us, all of which hate us with a passion. And we're supposed to unite with them if we're going to survive in the next four years. We didn't unite with them in time, and that's why you're here. Did I miss anything?" Percy asked.

"Mmm," I hummed, "You've just about summed it up. There are a couple of plot holes here and there, though we can discuss them when the problem arrives," I answered thoughtfully.

"How old are you?" Percy backtracked a little, "I mean, you look like a 10 year old, though you don't _sound_ like a 10 year old."

I sighed, "Do you want the long answer or the short one?"

"Um, I guess… short?"

"I look like a 10 year old, I feel like a 14 year old, I sound like an adult, and I'm actually an old man."

"You…" Percy blinked. He blinked again. "Um… May I ask _how?"_

"When I traveled back in time, I assumed my 10 year old appearance. Before I time traveled, l looked and felt like a 14 year old, because 4 years have passed what is now being considered our present. I talk like an adult because… well… let's just say loss can change a person. My chronological age is actually around 80, maybe even 90. Bianca and I were taken to the Lotus Hotel and Casino and left there for 70 years since World War II, which we were born before, so our father never actually broke the oath. As for why… well, if I reintroduce the topic to a certain God, you'll find out soon enough. Bianca doesn't have any memories stretching past a year ago. Neither do I, thanks to the River Lethe."

"Why were you bathed in the River Lethe?"

"Like I said, you might find out soon enough," I gazed out at the starry night sky above Manhattan. Everything looks so different from high up. Usually I would be scared to death of being this high up in the air, but it was somewhat comforting to have Percy and Annabeth beside me, knowing they could catch me if I fall off. Or you know, if Blackjack "accidentally" makes me fall off.

Dawn is beginning to break over the horizon, and there's still no sign of the camp van. I found myself twisting my non existent ring once again, a nervous habit I've adopted ever since my father gave me the silver skull ring with ruby eyes. He said it would help me in controlling my powers and my emotions. Before I had the ring, even after, my mood almost always affected my surroundings. On good days, the shadows merely retreated from their respective places and clung to me like suffocating, thick smog. On bad days, the ground around me would begin to decay; grass would blacken, flowers would wither and die, a thin, icy layer of frost would settle on the terrain, and the temperature would drop below freezing—even in the middle of summer. On the worst of days—which few have witnessed—besides Reyna, Hedge, and maybe Jason, my emotions would quite literally erupt out of me. The effects can be deadly, and the worst of my feelings—my fear, my shame, my pain, my rage, would be imposed on every single person in a 20 foot radius.

I've only ever had a _really_ bad day twice, when Bryce Lawrence decided inflicting pain and killing people was fun—he got what was coming for him, I have no regrets for what I did—and in Croatia, when my deepest, darkest secret was forced out of me. All in high definition for Jason Grace to see. It seems my secret wasn't buried deep enough.

If there's one thing I learned from that experience, it is that love is nothing short of a sweet illusion to lull you in, only to break your heart from the inside out when you're at your most vulnerable. And it continues, over and over, an incessant cycle of pain that accompanies loss, jealousy, and hate. It _never_ stops. Does that make me a monster to think such thoughts? To see love as something vile and poisonous? To feel no regret, no remorse for what I did to the Legacy of Orcus? Probably. But what's the use of pretending to be something your not, when a monster is all anyone will ever see?

I suddenly became aware that someone was shaking me. "Nico, are you alright? Nico, answer me. Are you okay?" I blinked to find two very concerned faces staring back at me. "Hey, are you okay? You were spacing out a bit there. You looked like you were about to cry," Annabeth said gently.

"I'm fine," I answered instinctively.

"No you're not," Percy chimed in.

I sighed through my nostrils. Here we go. _"Yes, _I am."

_"Really?" _The son of the sea asked in mockingly. "Then how do you explain the fact that you've been twisting your finger in deep thought for the past half hour?"

"Just an old habit," I replied smoothly.

"A nervous habit," Annabeth clarified.

"Just a habit."

"Somehow I find your case very unconvincing."

"You want to know something I've noticed? Dealing with 17 year old Percy and Annabeth is significantly easier than dealing with you two, and _that_ is saying something."

"The shadows are warping around you," Percy helpfully pointed out.

"Whether you like it or not, you're stuck with us now, Neeks. We can clearly see something is wrong! Just let us in!" Annabeth pleaded.

"We can help you, Nico, but only if you stop pushing us away," Percy added.

No. I can't let them in. No one should have to bear my burden.

"Like I said, I'm _fine. _There is nothing wrong with me!" I lied.

"So you're just going to ignore the fact that you witnessed, felt, and _heard_ every single person you love die not _two _days ago?" Annabeth questioned.

I flinched involuntarily. The Daughter of Athena just rubbed a ton of salt in a wound that hasn't even clotted. Her keen eyes narrowed, calculating my reaction. She knows I'm lying, I realized.

I don't care if they have their suspicions. I'm not about to give in that easily.

"Moving on isn't the same as ignoring. I'm upset that my friends died, but what can I do except keep moving forward? All I can do is keep trying to change the past and hope for a better future," I said. I wasn't necessarily lying per se. I merely dialed down a couple of words.

_"'Upset?'" _Annabeth asked incredulously, "'Upset' is an understatement and we all know it."

"Has it ever occurred to you that I might not like talking about it? Yeah. I went through some pretty messed up stuff that day. My whole _life _is messed up. But I'm not about to announce it to the world just to receive a pity party! I don't want your pity! Why can't you just understand that? I don't want it! I don't need your sympathy, I don't need your empty promises, and I certainly don't need you treating me like I'm some fragile traumatized boy that cries every time he's abandoned!" I shouted. "I need people I can trust," I admitted quietly, "I need my friends back. I… I need my family again."

The heroes of Olympus stared at me, and it suddenly occurred to me that I just screamed at the two most powerful demigods alive. What was I thinking? I'm actually suicidal. If they weren't already planning on it, surely they're gonna kick me off Blackjack—quite literally—now. To my surprise, they hugged me. I stiffened from the physical contact. My eyes widened. I don't know what came over me, but I hugged back.

"We aren't pitying you, Neeks. We just want to make sure you're okay. Grief and tragedy can make good people—people like you—change in terrible, unimaginable ways. They can make you lose all sense of reality and reason. We don't want that for you, Nico. We just want you to be alright. We want to help you in anyway we can. Thank you for opening up to us. Thank you for confiding in us," Annabeth murmured.

"We won't let you down, Neeks," Percy promised as he ruffled my hair. A thought occurred to me: Percy just made another promise to me. Although, this time it seemed genuine, real, and every bit of concrete. Could he really keep his promise this time? Or will history repeat itself? I choose to believe this time will be different. I choose to believe Percy won't break my heart again with his empty words.

"We'll be your family, Nico," Annabeth declared, "Always."

_Always._

Such a loosely used word. Yet it held so much meaning in just two syllables. It was an everlasting vow; an unyielding promise. I thought of that scene from _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows _of Severus Snape's words about his eternal love for an eternally _dead _woman. Though this is a different kind of love. Not one of romance, but one of family.

_You have grasped an understanding of family and love, a certain wisdom even I could not have taught you, _Hestia's words echoed in my mind. Was she right?

I thought about Percy and Annabeth's promises to me. Then I realized something: Family isn't forged by blood, it's forged by bond. And maybe, just maybe this bond will beat the odds of Fate.

"You're already my family," I murmured. Annabeth hugged me tighter. I could feel Percy's smile behind me. A few tears slipped from my eyes. However, they weren't tears of pain and sadness. They were tears of happiness and relief—something I haven't experienced in a _long _time. At that moment, I couldn't be any happier. Who needs romance when you've got an amazing family? One that you know will always stand by you.

A small smile graced my lips. My eyelids grew heavy and a yawn escaped me. Ugh, planning to save the world can be_so-o-o-o exhausting. _I closed my eyes and let the darkness take me.

I registered the fact that I'm now sitting in the very back row of a van, when only moments before, I was sitting on Blackjack having a very touching, sensitive discussion with the demigod dynamic duo. Oh great, I'm dreaming. I should've known peace would only last for one night. I already used up my free pass. I sighed and looked around.

In the driver's seat, Zoe Nightshade honked at the miles of traffic in the lane, cursing under her breath. Bianca was next to her in the passenger's seat, studying the rainbow of cars with interest. In the middle row, Thalia and Grover were playing a game of chopsticks. Some old Olympus issued magazines laid open and tousled on the floor.

"Stupid mortals! My goddess is in danger! We have no time to sit through thy shenanigans," Zoe grumbled irritably.

"Why is everyone stopping? What's so interesting that it has to hold up the rest of the lane?" Bianca asked with innocent curiosity. She undid her braid and ran her fingers through her dark wavy hair, only to weave the strands back together again.

"It's called, 'Oh, there's an accident! I need to get a better look!' and 'Ohhh, there's blood and glass! What's this about?' and 'Wow! Look at that explosion! I hope nobody died!'" The Daughter of Zeus exclaimed sarcastically, "It's in the nature of mortals to be curious about gruesome things. Just goes to show how they haven't had any gruesome things in their lives to worry about," Thalia explained offhandedly.

She's right of course. Mortals tend to crane their heads for a better look at crime scenes, accidents, and bodies in general. I should know, I've had discussions like this with plenty of ghosts.

"Oh," Bianca said quietly.

"Ha! I finally beat you!" The satyr exclaimed triumphantly. He threw his hands in the air before grinning and taking a bite out of a soda can.

"Congratulations," the Daughter of Zeus replied dryly. "You won one out of forty-five matches," She sighed and looked out the window in boredom. She tapped the cold glass of the window in a familiar beat. Probably a Green Day song, "How much farther do we have left to go?"

Bianca squeezed a handle that opened up a compartment in the dashboard. She reached inside and grabbed what looked to be an outdated map. She unfolded the map and smoothed out the parchment. She squinted as she attempted to read the gibberish, "Um… if we continue on this route, probably about a 100 miles or so, give or take," she answered. The Daughter of Hades frowned a little, "Wait… I don't think I'm reading this right."

She stuffed the map back in the compartment in frustration.

"Why the Smithsonian?" Bianca asked, "I know you had a dream about it, Zoe. But why would you have a dream about the Smithsonian of all places? I mean, Artemis couldn't possibly be held there, right?"

"Dreams are often signs or warnings for events that will take place in the near future. Morpheus does not simply show thou a dream for thy entertainment. Dreams can show thou the future, or even events that are happening elsewhere at the moment. We must travel to the Smithsonian museum. Whatever may wait for us there is either what we seek, or what we shall hunt. I am certain of this," Zoe replied.

Bianca nodded, "What do you think is waiting for us there?"

"Nothing good, that I am sure of."

A jolt woke me up. The smell of grapes and wine pervaded my nostrils. Wait… I know that scent.

What's Dionysus doing here?

I took in my surroundings. Blackjack was being pulled by an army of grape vines to a nearby terrace of a rooftop. Percy and Annabeth stared wide-eyed at a figure stepping out of the shade. The Wine Dude emerged with his arms crossed, and a smug _Enjoy your last moments of sanity_ look on his face, "Perry Johnson, Annabelle Case, and Nick Acacio. Tell me, what are you three doing outside of the camp borders? As far as I'm concerned—which isn't much, mind you—you three were not chosen to go on a quest to rescue Artemis. So, give me one reason why I shouldn't turn you all into dolphins and bottles of Merlot for sneaking out."

"Um… You can't drink wine?" Percy reasoned weakly.

Annabeth elbowed him in the ribs, "Seaweed Brain!" She whispered-yelled. She turned to Dionysus, "We need to prevent some things that are going to happen on the quest. We also need an audience with the Gods."

"And how, Annabelle Case, would you know what is going to happen on the quest? Why would you need an audience with the Gods?"

"You'll find out soon enough," I said coldly, "As for why we need an audience with the Gods as soon as possible? Well... do you have a retirement plan?"

The God of Wine studied me thoughtfully with his grape colored eyes. Finally he said, "You are not like the other demigods I have met over the years, Nico di Angelo," What surprised me was the fact that he actually used my real name, "There is a maddening glint in your eyes. A glint that takes time to surface. You best be careful not to let the darkness inside you take over, or that is all you will ever experience for the rest of your short, miserable life. The insanity will tear you apart from the inside out, fracturing you until you are irreparable—though you already knew that," My jaw went slack. That's the first time I've ever gotten advice from Mr. D, and it's probably the last. I nodded quite pathetically. But really, how are you supposed to react when someone tells you that there's a good chance you could go insane?

Mr. D gave a tired sigh, as if this is something he has to deal with everyday, "I suppose I can let you three go. I guess you can go off and save the world. You can lead your insignificant lives to doom for all I care. Though a bit of advice," He addressed me directly, giving me the impression he already knew I wasn't a 10 year old, "Don't toy with Fate. It never ends well for you in the long run," With that he disappeared into a cloud of purple smoke, and the smell of grapes and strawberries lingered in the early morning air.

"So… I think we need to head to the Smithsonian. Or at least follow Zoe and friends there," I said, breaking silence.

"Dream?" Percy and Annabeth asked simultaneously.

"Dream."

And with that, we hopped back onto Blackjack for the long wait of traffic ahead. We flew into the sunset, and it comically reminded me of the ending scene of a movie. Although this time, there is no ending scene.

The fight has only just begun.


	17. Chapter 16:

Chapter 16: the Act of Forgiving

It took quite a while for us to find Zoe and her crew in the horde of cars. It wasn't until well after sunrise that we spotted the familiar camp van on the highway to Washington DC. Of course, with my incredibly low body temperature, I was shivering the entire way.

"Here," Percy took off one of his many layers, "Take my coat. You look like you need it more than I do."

"Thanks," I replied gratefully. As smoothly as one could on a flying pegasus, I slipped on the jacket.

"Why do you think Zoe had that dream about the museum?" Annabeth asked. Her blond curls flew around her face like sun rays in the wind.

"I have a hunch, though I'm not 100% sure," I replied.

"Good or bad?" Percy chimed in.

"... Bad. _Really_ bad."

"How so?" The Daughter of Athena inquired.

"When Percy broke the news to me about… about Bianca's death, skeleton warriors were following him. Not the kinds of skeletons _I _created. No, these were created by someone else. They felt almost artificial, like there was no body to begin with," I recalled the painful memory when Percy officially told me about my sister's passing. I winced a little just thinking about it, "I have an inkling feeling that we're going to find out who created these warriors. Somewhere along the line, it will be revealed."

"Can you control them? Or at least fight them?" The Savior of Olympus questioned.

"I can definitely fight them, though I'm not sure how much energy it will take out of me, especially now that I'm 10 years old again. As for controlling them? No clue."

"Well whatever the case, we need to prepare. Nico, can you tell us any and all details about the quest? Maybe if we know the original events beforehand, we can find out exactly what we need to change," Annabeth proposed.

"I don't know much besides the fact that Atlas is the General, Artemis is being held in Mt. Othrys, Zoe is the one that will be perished by her father's hand, and Bianca died in the junkyard of the Gods. I'm sorry I can't be much help. The only reason I know this is from dreams and passing comments I've heard at camp," I looked up and met Percy's gaze, "Everybody knows what you've fought for, but nobody knows what you actually faced. You and Annabeth didn't exactly mention it around camp often, if at all."

"Nico, how do you know exactly how Bianca died? I mean I know it's a touchy subject—" I interrupted Percy.

I held up my hand in the universal _stop_ motion, "It's fine, you're curious," I took a deep breath, "I had a dream about her death. I heard the ringing too. At first, I didn't want to believe it. I convinced myself that it was all just a dream, and my older sister was safe and sound. But something in the back of my mind kept nagging me. I knew deep down, I was kidding myself. And when you finally came back from your quest, with no Bianca or Zoe in sight, I immediately knew something was seriously off. You and I, we went to take a walk. When we were at the edge of the dinner pavilion, that's when you broke the news. I—I hated you for a while, or at least, I tried to.

"The skeleton warriors arrived at that moment, and when they were about to attack you, I just couldn't bring myself to let them hurt you. I screamed at them to go away, and the next thing I know they're being dragged down by skeleton arms into the deepest, darkest parts of the Underworld. That's when we both figured out my parentage. I ran away into the forest. I was scared of my powers and I was scared of myself," I confessed quietly, "I… I went down a dark path. I befriended a ghost who was using me for his own selfish reasons and I was angry. So, so angry at everything and _everyone. _It took me a while to realize I was angry at myself, not the world."

"Nico, I'm sor—" I interrupted the Son of Posiedon once again.

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault, Percy. It never was," I met his eyes once again, and I saw regret in the sea-green shade. It made me sick to know I caused it, "It wasn't your fault, it wasn't Artemis' fault, it wasn't Zoe's fault, it wasn't the Gods' fault, it wasn't even my father's fault. It was mine. If only I let go of my fatal flaw sooner, if only I stopped holding a grudge, Bianca would have never felt the need to pick up that Hades figurine for me. She wouldn't have needed to perform an act of forgiveness—something I was incapable of. Something I'm _still_ incapable of. And now, I'm leading my sister down that same road, all because I couldn't forgive her."

I thought of the conversation my sister and I had. Her words were a warning about our fatal flaw. About our inheritance, and how it can destroy us.

_You must listen to me. Holding a grudge is dangerous for a child of Hades. It is our fatal flaw. You have to forgive. You have to promise me this._

I forgave all too late. I couldn't bring myself to forgive when it really mattered. My mistake cost me the life of my sister. I can't let that happen. Not again. I have to forgive if I'm going to save my sister. I have to swallow my flaw—my anger, if I'm going to do it.

"Nico, listen to me. What happened to Bianca was _not _your fault. It was her choice to join the Hunt. It was her choice to leave you. It was her choice to grab that figurine. You couldn't have possibly known she would grab that figurine for you," Annabeth said.

"Yeah. But I knew that if I didn't forgive her soon, I would never get the chance to do it again. I—I still held a grudge anyway. I gave in to my flaw. But this time, it wasn't fatal to me—it was fatal to _her. _I won't let it happen again. I'll forgive her, I'll apologize, I'll do whatever it takes to save her. I want her stick around, Hunter or not. I want her to meet Hazel, our little sister. They never got a chance to meet. I resurrected Hazel just as Bianca went for Rebirth. Bianca and Hazel both deserve a chance to live and I'm going to give it to them," I vowed, "Whatever it takes."

Percy and Annabeth shared a look. They must have realized there's no arguing, not when I'm like this. Again, who's stubbornness did I get? My mother or my father's?

Annabeth sighed in defeat, "There's no way I can change your mind?"

"Nope."

"Then I guess I'm just gonna have to stick by your decision then, huh? You are a stubborn one. At this point you can probably call it extreme loyalty. Just like Seaweed Brain over here," she pointed.

"Hey, there is nothing wrong with loyalty. There are much worse fatal flaws to have," Percy pointed out.

"Of course you would say that. You would die for practically anyone, and I'm starting to believe Neeks would too," she nudged me.

"At least I don't have Hubris as my flaw!" I exclaimed as I raised my hands in surrender.

"Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Again, there are much worse flaws to have."

"Sure thing, Wise Girl."

"Whatever, Seaweed Brain."

I giggled at their banter. Wait what? I did _not_ just giggle. Ugh, stupid 10 year old brain. Percy and Annabeth grinned at me, and I found myself grinning back. Was it my 10 year old brain? It's the only logical explanation for such an unprecedented laugh—or just a laugh in general. Then again, maybe not.

No, it couldn't be. I shook my head, the grin still on my face. It was just too much craziness for one day.

Percy's smile vanished from his face, "Guys, we're here."

And apparently, so are Zoe and friends.


	18. Chapter 17:

Chapter 17: Sympathy For the Devil

We followed Zoe Nightshade and the other demigods plus satyr into the Smithsonian. We narrowly slipped through security. Annabeth took our weapons and rucksacks and handed us some cash before putting on her cap. We strolled through the metal detectors with no trouble, though the hardest part was following my sister and her friends at a safe, yet close distance. Needless to say, it's not as easy as it sounds. Especially since we have to be under two Hunters of Artemis' radars, which is almost impossible to sneak past due to their incredibly acute senses. But we managed.

I stared amazed at the various historic artifacts on display. Astronaut suits, helmets, weapons, and tons of miscellaneous stuff lined the shelves in each exhibit. I thought the humongous, detailed elephant situated at the entrance was amusing too. Planes of all shapes and sizes, from large to small, and sleek to bulk hung from the rafters. I imagined them all zipping above me at break-mach speed. I sensed a couple of dinosaur bones upstairs. Somewhere off to my left and at least a couple of floors up, a huge diamond was being displayed.

Seeing all of these relics from the past made me realize just how much time I've missed out on. It's hard to swallow the fact that I lived nearly 70 years ago while World War II was happening. That I was alive, well, happy, and oblivious of all the tyranny and death festering around me. From what I could tell from the vision I had, I lived in my own little world; obscured and sheltered from the destruction and sacrifice of war.

What was it like living in that time? What was it like for my family? How were we brought to America? What kind of life did I live in Italy? All of these questions zipped by faster than the planes above ever could. Without thinking, I stopped in my tracks.

I surveyed the hundreds of planes hanging from the ceiling, the thousands of artifacts from World War II, and the millions of descriptions of each and every invasion there ever was. Confined inside these walls, encased in these glass displays, and penned in the ink on these pages are the small windows to the world I have long since disregarded. This is my history. This is the cruel world I was forced to forget. The ever-changing world I was forced to abandon.

But this certainly isn't all of it. According to Camp Half Blood's history books, the mortals were severely misinformed. There was no war of the Axis Powers against the Allies, there was only a war of Hades against Zeus and Posiedon. Or more accurately, their children inescapably fighting against each other. A part of me is glad that I was too young to fight in their war. Or better yet—too naive. It makes me wonder why I wasn't forced to fight anyway. After all, there is a disturbing amount of young children residing in Camp Half Blood, and even Camp Jupiter enlisted kids as young as 7 into the Legion. Another strand of mystery woven into the web of my life, I suppose.

"Nico? We need to get moving or we're gonna miss them," Percy said hurriedly. I off-handidly noticed Annabeth's cap in his pocket. The Son of Posiedon stopped for a moment, "What are you doing?"

"Just… thinking."

"Thinking about…?"

I peeled my eyes away from the wretched scenery, "We should get going or we're gonna lose Bianca, Thalia, Grover, and Zoe."

The son of the sea god cocked his head ever so slightly, and I was amazed to find that I didn't think much of it. What, only days before would've made me fight the need to blush, now made me nothing short of annoyed and a bit content too. I took this as a sign. I'm glad I'm not feeling what I once felt for the Son of Posiedon. I found myself feeling happy for Annabeth and Percy. The rush of relief almost made me smile.

"You sure you don't want to talk about it? I mean, Annabeth is probably the best person to talk to. But still. You sure?"

"I'm sure," I replied. Without another word, I navigated through the crowd to find Annabeth. This time, I didn't look back to see if Percy followed.

I found Annabeth lurking in the shadows, just around the corner, waiting and watching "the five."

"Hey, Annie," I greeted.

"Don't call me Annie," she said, her grey eyes still fixed on the targets.

"Why not?" I asked with feigned curiosity. Of course, I knew why. She simply doesn't like to be called "Annie." The last time someone called her Annie, Leo Valdez was judo-flipped and threatened with severe bodily harm in 5 seconds flat. But I'm not Leo Valdez. I'm eager to see how far I can go before I too get judo-flipped.

She turned to me and glared. I held my ground and refused to shrink, "Do you really want to find out?"

"Well, I mean, yeah. That's why I asked," I replied with a shrug. I'm not trying to be a smart-alec, I'm just genuinely curious. Though she probably doesn't see it that way. Actions and body language tend to speak more than words, and right now, my body language is screaming _I want to be nuked._

Annabeth studied me with her cold, calculating eyes. They softened, if only for a fraction of a second. The calm before the storm, I thought. I braced myself for a judo-flipping, or perhaps a punch in the face. Maybe even a sweep in the legs. Who knows? I don't know 14 year old Annabeth's style. Instead, with a guarded expression she confessed, "That's what my dad used to call me," The way she said "dad" insinuated a pretty rocky relationship between them. I can relate. The Daughter of Athena followed the four heroes moving along to the next exhibit. I sensed the conversation wasn't quite finished.

"My father almost incinerated me once when I was trying to convince him to help the demigods during the Second Titanomachy. I told him he needed to swallow his anger and be better than what his family expected him to be. I told him my mother would've felt the same way. Needless to say, I should've held my tongue. Not long after, he allowed my wonderful stepmom to turn me into a dandelion when we had a really bad fight about whether or not I should see my mother," I confessed as I joined Annabeth in another hiding place.

"Really?" She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. She scuffed, "I'm not that surprised. I've met your dad before. Not a nice guy, but cute dog though. What I'm really surprised about is the fact that you two spent enough time together to get into any major fights."

"I wouldn't say we've spent a lot of time together, more like him staring down at me from his throne like I'm the biggest disappointment in his entire existence," I grimaced, "But sure. I have seen my father more often than most demigods. He's not the best dad, though he treats me decently. It's more than I can ask for, especially from the Devil himself."

Annabeth frowned, "How so?"

"He gave me a home when I became an outcast to my own kind. He allowed me to roam the Underworld freely, save for the deepest parts down under. He even gave me a zombie chauffeur for my birthday," I recalled fondly, "He… he turned a blind eye when I resurrected the sister I never knew existed. He had the decency to warn me that I would probably die before completing my mission of returning the Athena Parthenos, and even offered me a place to stay if I actually did die."

"He sounds better than most. But I don't understand. Why is he so cruel to everyone else?" Annabeth asked me, "He isn't exactly helping his image, even if it isn't all true."

"Let me ask you this: If a bunch of demigods decided to waltz into your domain uninvited, demand you bring their loved ones back to life and threaten the fragile balance of life and death for a millennium, how would you feel about it? Especially if you quite literally got the short end of the stick and were forced into an oath only you didn't break? What about if you had to listen to the harvest goddess rant about cereal each and every winter and fall, on top how she isn't happy her daughter is married to you for _thousands_ of years? How would you feel if you constantly had to keep expanding and cutting down on spending all because stupid mortals haven't learned how to work out their problems without the expense of others? And the constant workload? The pestering about raises? The traitorous ghosts trying to overthrow you? Just being hated by your family in general?"

"I… I wouldn't feel so great about that," Annabeth admitted. She had the decency to look slightly ashamed. Seeing the doubt and hesitation on Annabeth's face unnerved me a little. It wasn't at all like the confident, calculating look I remember her wearing, though the intelligent glint in her eyes never left. The odd expression served as a subtle reminder that she's still pretty young, and hasn't yet gone through the hardships that made her who I once knew. If I'm careful, she'll never have to.

"Dad doesn't feel so great about it either. _The Rolling Stones_ knew what they were talking about when they wrote that song, _Sympathy For the Devil._ They all got into Elysium just for that song alone."

"Seriously? The Lord of the Dead is in to that kind of music?" The daughter of Wisdom asked. She was trying hard to stifle a laugh.

"Seriously. Dad typically rewards good music and _The Rolling Stones_ earned bonus points for the lyrics. I was having a hard time believing it myself when I first found out. One of the neighbors in Elysium told me," I said truthfully. The whole experience in itself was quite surreal. A local spirit who lived by the deceased band members was bragging about living next to "the greatest rock and roll band of all time." I personally checked up on that claim with Thanatos, and there were Ian Stewart and Brian Jones listed on the screen of the sleek, black iPad. The guy certainly wasn't lying.

Annabeth smiled thinly and was quiet for a moment. Finally she said, "You can call me Annie if you want," She looked down at me, which I found embarrassing as I am now excruciatingly short, "With you, I don't mind."

My lips quirked up in a ghost of a smile, "Then you now have my permission to call me Neeks," I replied.

"I'll hold you to that."

"I know you will," I answered, "...Hey, Annie?"

"Yeah, Neeks?"

"I know it's not any of my business, but I really do believe you should make amends with your dad. Nothing lasts forever, not even the Gods. Regret is the exception to that. Grudges will only get you so far. Trust me, I know."

Annabeth looked away, "He's not going to listen to me. He's not going to change. He's more than content with his perfect little family and his perfect little wife. I'm not apart of that."

"Somehow I doubt that. Just… try. It never hurts to try," I advised, "Don't be afraid to forgive. Or you will find yourself regretting it for the rest of your existence. Just keep that in mind, okay?" I found myself once again twisting my finger. I really need to find a ring.

Annabeth stared at me intently, searching for what, I could only imagine. She nodded and fidgeted with what looked to be a college ring strung in her Camp Half Blood necklace. I have an inkling feeling there's more to that ring than meets the eye, "Thanks."

"No problem," I replied. Then the memory of the prophecy flashed by. My eyes widened, "Hey there's something I need to tell you about—"

I didn't get to finish. At that moment, Percy came sprinting down the crowded corridor looking out of breath and very pale. The missing chunk of his shirt sleeve didn't escape me, "We have a problem," he announced.

"What kind of problem?" Annabeth interrogated.

A roar on the other side of the museum answered the question for the Son of Posiedon, "The _really_ bad kind... and there's more."

"Let me guess. Does it have to do with the fact that you're missing a huge chunk of your sleeve, Kelp Head?" I asked.

"No time to explain! We need to run! We need to warn them!" Percy took the liberty of snatching our wrists and practically dragging us down the hall at break-neck speed.

"Seaweed Brain, what's going on?" Annabeth exclaimed as we rounded the corner where Bianca and friends are, "What are we running from?"

"Luke and some general dude just planted a bunch of dinosaur teeth with blood, and a horde of skeleton warriors just grew! First they grew a super adorable kitten, but that's not the point. One of them ripped off a chunk of my shirt and now they have my scent! Which means, more stalker friends! We don't need anymore stalker friends!" The Savior of Olympus exclaimed.

"Luke's here?!" Annabeth and I shouted simultaneously. It vaguely reminded me of a huge revealing of the criminal behind the crime, the twist in the plot, the traitor among the friends.

"Oh, yeah. He's not the only—" Percy was interrupted by the ultimate run-in with the four from the quest. When I say "run-in," I mean we quite literally ran into our friends. Percy was catapulted at Grover, Annabeth took a nose-dive at Thalia, and I slammed head-first into Bianca.

"Nico?! What are you doing here?!" My dear sister screamed in alarm. I landed on top of her with a jolt.

I groaned and rolled off of her, rubbing my forehead, "We really need to stop meeting like this."

Another blood-curling roar sounded not too far from us. This time with the intensity of thunder. My body shook as the sound resonated through me. Percy pointed behind us in the direction of the roar as he stood up, "That's the other problem."

"What are thou three doing here?" Zoe demanded. She glared at us like we just killed her puppy as she helped Bianca back up, "Thou was not chosen for the quest."

"Yeah, I hate to say it—I really do—but I'm with Zoe on this one," Thalia grimaced as she held out her hand for Annabeth to take, "Why are you here?"

"The quest called for five demigods and Hunters, not _seven!" _Grover practically squeaked, "This is bad, this is _really_ bad."

"So, are we just going to ignore the roar back there?" I gestured behind me, "Or should we do something about that?" I asked the group, but no one heard me. Everyone screamed and argued about this and that, completely ignoring the heavy footsteps that were sounding just beyond the now empty room. Yeah… that's gonna be a problem. I glanced back and forth between the demigods and hunters like a ping pong match. Neither group showed signs of stopping.

"Why are thou here?!"

"We need to be on this quest!"

"The quest did not ask for thou!"

"It's important! We need to prevent—"

"'It's important?' Why would saving Artemis be important to thou? Thou aren't even a Hunter!"

The thumping of something _massive_ grew increasingly louder.

"Everyone needs to stop fighting. If we can just work this out—"

"Who do you think you are? Why did you take my little brother with you? He was finally safe!"

"Nico's right. We need to work—"

A low growl echoed just outside in the hall.

"Because he asked to come! We didn't _take_ him. He volunteered!"

"LIAR!"

"DON'T TALK TO HIM THAT WAY!"

"STAY OUT OF THIS!"

"Guys. Please stop fighting," Grover pleaded but to no avail.

"Bianca, we aren't lying!"

"Do you really think I'm buying that ex—"

"EVERYBODY NEEDS TO SHUT THEIR MOUTH AND LISTEN!" I roared. My voice carried through the thin walls and the sound of silence accompanied it. Six pairs of wide eyes stared at me in shock. They looked surprised that such a small body could possess such a loud voice. I scoffed. They have no idea. I took a deep breath to temper my rage. I gave my famous death glare and everyone flinched.

"In case you haven't noticed, we're about to have company," I announced in a dangerously low voice, "So drop your meaningless arguments and get your head in the game. I am not about to be a goner all because six moronic simpletons are incapable of such a simple task that a _baboon_ can handle. Cut the crap and take out your weapons," I unsheathed my dagger, spun it around my fingers expertly, and narrowed my eyes at the entrance, "Our surprise guest has arrived."

As if heeding my call, the Nemean Lion charged into the exhibit. It's golden fur glinted like armor in the harsh lighting. A murderous intent shone in its eyes. The feline released a mighty roar, a war cry for chaos that will ensue.

Well, I thought. Guess I better start skinning the cat.


	19. Chapter 18:

Chapter 18: Welcome to the Show

Annabeth gasped. In awe or horror, I couldn't tell, "The Nemean Lion!"

"Like the Hercules Nemean Lion?" Percy asked as he unsheathed Anaklusmos. For some strange reason, Zoe flinched.

"No, the Madonna Nemean Lion," Thalia answered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She clicked her bracelet and the metal face of Medusa popped out. She pulled out her spear.

"Ha ha, very funny. You try remembering all of the monsters that want to eat us for breakfast!" The Son of Posiedon shouted.

"It's really not that difficult. Especially when your constantly being hunted," I quipped.

"No one asked you, Death Breath!" Percy rebutted.

"Guys! We have a Nemean Lion we need to fight! Get your head in the game!" Annabeth reprimanded. The lion stalked closer and growled menacingly. That got our attention.

"Nico, get behind me," Bianca said quite shakely.

"Sorry, but I think I'll be more help in the front," I replied coldly.

It looked like Bianca wanted to say more, but she was cut off as the Nemean Lion pounced on the nearest target: _me. _

I quickly side-stepped to avoid the razor-sharp teeth. However, my reflexes aren't as fast as they used to be. The lion managed to graze my forearm. I grunted in pain and clutched my now bleeding arm. Super, I thought. That's going to leave a scar.

"Nico!" I heard Bianca scream somewhere behind me. I didn't have time to glance at her. I rolled underneath the lion and dove for cover behind a nearby display case. I took a deep breath to gather my bearings. Now, how to kill this walking monstrosity. If I remember correctly, the Nemean Lion's skin is impenetrable, meaning we need to find its most vulnerable spot. According to the legend, Hercules—or more accurately, Heracles—strangled the lion to death after he discovered he couldn't gut it with his sword. Apparently this was one of the many tasks he had to complete for Hera in compensation for his transgressions. Ugh, I hate that woman.

I reached into my jacket for ambrosia, but found that I have none. Oh great, I thought. Could my luck be any worse right now? A crate crashed into the display case—courtesy of my feline friend—only millimeters from my head. My eyes widened. I thought too soon. I gripped my dagger tighter and my knuckles whitened. I tried to get up, but something stopped me. A feeling of sorts. An emotion I've been feeling ever since I time traveled.

Fear.

Get up, I reprimanded myself. You've experienced worse than this. Your friends need you.

But the childish side of me—one of my only vulnerabilities—refused to comply. It's times like these that I remember I'm still human. That I still have hopes and fears just like everybody else. I'm not invincible, and I don't pretend to be. Though with the feats I've done, sometimes I think I've lost that part of me. I've always been able to control my emotions, block out the feelings, and prioritize what needs to be done for the greater good. But now, sitting here, clutching my dagger to my chest, and breathing heavily; I'm terrified.

I took a deep breath. So what if I'm terrified? I need to step up to get the dirty work done. I need to make sure the Savior of Olympus saves the world, whoever that may be. I need to make sure the Seven succeed in their quest. I need to make sure both of my sisters are alive. I need to make sure I unite the Greeks and Romans. But most of all, I need to prove to myself that I can overcome this, not just to my family. Not just to my father.

Alright, Nico, I thought to myself. Get the job done.

My eyes surveyed the room for something—_anything_ to use. Percy and Thalia were taking various swings at the lion, though the blades seemed to annoy the feline more than anything. Annabeth had taken to sneaking up on the lion, trying, but to no avail, to get close to its mouth. Bianca and Zoe were perched on the wings of the planes hanging above, firing arrow after arrow fruitlessly at its golden coat.

The mouth. That's it!

Annabeth is truly a genius. The mouth is the closest weak spot available. But if Annabeth can't get to the lion's mouth, what chance do I have? I looked around for something else to use. Then I sensed it. Just down the hall, thousands of bones built into intricate structures were being displayed in the Jurassic exhibit. I smirked.

I can use that.

I closed my eyes and tapped into my senses. Just down the hall, thousands of bones stood high and mighty, each belonging to a different time period. Some bones were 165.7 million years old, others were 197.2 million years, and even 199.6 million years old, to name a few. All from the same era we don't completely understand. It seems even the past can be just as confusing as the future. I felt the density of each bone, each fossil overwhelming my senses. I felt the grains of contrasting soil content still residing on the ivory skeletons. I felt the bones connecting and shifting, like a puzzle to form a whole skeletal being. These creatures were once alive. Some of them were carnivores, some were herbivores, and some were omnivores. However, they all had one thing in common. They hunted to survive, whether for plants or for prey.

Now they will hunt once more.

I rose from the ground with new-found determination. If the Nemean Lion wants a fight, I'll give it one. The building quaked as I raised my hand. The demigods and Hunters ceased fire and looked at each other in confusion.

"What's shaking the—" Percy stopped talking abruptly when he noticed me and the look on my face.

"Move," I said.

And move they did, no questions asked.

"Nico?" Bianca asked hesitantly as Annabeth guided her to the farthest corner of the wall. The others followed suit.

I didn't answer. Instead, I narrowed my eyes on the Nemean Lion, like a predator zeroing in on its prey. Out of the corner of my eye, I could feel my friends' and sister's careful gazes on me. I couldn't care less at the moment. I tunnel visioned on the ancient lion, with nothing but a feeling of persistence set deep in my gut. I smirked.

Welcome to the show, my friend.

I snapped my fingers and all hell broke loose.

A mighty roar of awakening sounded from across the hall. A stampede of skeletal dinosaurs emerged into the room, all charging for their prey: The Nemean Lion. They rushed past so quickly, a gust of wind blew through my hair.

_Attack the Lion,_ I commanded soundlessly. And the animated fossils did just that. They clawed, chomped, rammed, and everything in between, though their efforts were more for distraction than anything. Beads of sweat dripped down my forehead due to the exertion.

"What the Hades?!" Thalia exclaimed.

"The Silent One is punishing us for all of those years of cursing his name!" Grover squeaked, "We're all going to die!"

"No, thou fool," Zoe hissed, "The boy is controlling them!" I saw the lieutenant point at me out of the corner of my eye, but I was too focused on herding undead dinosaurs to think much of it.

I shifted my stance to keep a better grip on my powers. Gods, controlling dinosaurs is so much harder than human skeletons. I can't keep this up much longer. If I'm going to kill the Nemean Lion, I need to do it now. I gritted my teeth in concentration as I waited for an opening, the perfect opportunity. I was dimly aware of the frost expanding on the glass of the display cases and festering on the polished floors. The room gradually darkened and my frosty breath floated in front of me in a chilling cloud. I could hear my sister calling my name, though it sounded like nothing more than a distant echo in an empty void. Nothing else mattered more at the moment than sending this deranged fur ball back to Tartarus.

I took another breath and recoiled my hand. Following the movement, a few bones detached from one of the nearby skeletal dinosaurs and floated to my out-stretched hand. With one swift motion, I sharpened the stray bones into daggers and levitated them out in front of me at the ready.

Come on, I coaxed silently. Open up, kitty. A tyrannosaur boldly took a dive for the golden lion's neck and sunk its teeth into the monster's hide. Though the sharp canines couldn't harm the lion, they certainly threatened him. In response, the Nemean Lion opened up its mouth to swallow the fossil whole. I smirked triumphantly. I had a completely open shot for the most vulnerable part of the feline. I thrust my hand in one instant, precise motion and the sharp bone projectiles darted into the Nemean Lion's mouth. This time, the monster couldn't react fast enough and close its face hole.

The lion abruptly ceased fighting. With a jolt, it started to choke. The monster attempted to spit up the knives like it would an ordinary hair ball, but to no avail. I simply shoved the bony daggers further down the digestive tract. As the knives shredded the Nemean Lion from the inside out, the feline quickly realized all hope was lost and tried to claw the pesky things out of him. He whined pitifully and I almost felt sorry for the poor thing. Then again, the Nemean Lion just tried to eat my friends not five minutes ago, so it would not be earning my sympathy today. With a final cry of defeat, the lion stilled and disintegrated into golden dust. All that was left was a single pelt of fur.

I snapped my fingers and the skeletal dinosaurs became inanimate, tumbled into piles of bones, only to be levitated to the Jurassic exhibit to reassemble once again. Extinction and lifelessness took hold of them once more.

The room was eerily silent. No one knew what to say. My knees gave way as exhaustion weighed down on me and adrenaline left me. I collapsed to the ground on all fours. I took a deep breath, fighting to stay awake.

"Nico!" Annabeth and Percy retreated from the safety of the wall and over to me, "Are you alright?"

I was too dizzy to say anything, so I instead nodded quite lazily.

"How did you do that? Since when can you raise _dinosaurs?" _Percy asked unbelievably. He back-tracked a little, "I mean, not that that wasn't absolutely incredible, but still. How?"

"Seaweed Brain, quit bombarding him with questions and get him some ambrosia. He's bleeding and exhausted."

Ah, yes. Ambrosia, my brain slowly registered. I could really use some of that right about now.

I noticed Bianca, Zoe, Thalia, and Grover cautiously walking towards us. Bianca looked absolutely shell-shocked, Zoe didn't look much better, Thalia had a _What the Hades just happened?_ look on her face, and Grover looked absolutely terrified. Oh, lovely. As if enough people weren't already scared of me. What's the harm of adding a few more to the mix?

"Nico? What… What was that?" Bianca's voice shook as she spoke, "What did you just do?"

Oh boy.

"I think it's pretty obvious by now who my godly parent is," I said as Percy and Annabeth helped me up, "But in case you need some clarification, I'd be more than happy to accompany you on your quest to explain exactly what just happened."

"Oh, I think it's pretty obvious, alright. What I don't understand is how are you even alive?" Thalia questioned. She glanced at Bianca with a reproachful look on her face.

I frowned. Why is Thalia looking at her that way? It's not Bianca's fault our father is the Devil himself. I didn't even try to suppress a sigh. This is what I get for using my powers in front of them. I knew the consequences, now I will have to face them.

"Pleased to meet you," I introduced myself, "I'm Nico di Angelo, Son of Hades."


	20. Chapter 19:

Chapter 19: Let's Play the Interruption Game

"Thou are _his_ son?! I knew there was something off about thou, but this… this is inconceivable!" Zoe said. She gazed at Bianca as if she were a foreign specimen she just discovered. "I would have never guessed…"

"I can't believe this! There are _four_ children of the Big Three alive, instead of two like we thought? This changes everything!" Thalia exclaimed.

"I—I found _four_ children of the Big Three?" Grover asked no one in particular. He looked mystified by the fact. "No wonder the rescue missions have never gone well."

"Wait, but that means the God of the Underworld broke the oath," Thalia said. _"Twice."_

"Actually, that's invalid. My father is the only one who _hasn't_ broken the oath," I announced.

"And how would you know what the oath is?" Thalia interrogated, "You just figured out you're a half blood not two days ago!"

I was about to retort, but the clattering of bones just down the hall made me stop. That sound… Why does it sound so familiar?

"Hold up," Bianca said as she made the universal _stop_ motion with her hands. "If I'm correct, demigods are supposed to get a claimed in order to determine their godly parents. As you can see, Nico and I haven't gotten claimed yet, meaning there is no proof that we are the children of Ha—"

"Don't say his name. Names have power. Unless you want his attention, I would refer to him as the Silent One," Annabeth wisely advised.

Bianca frowned. "As I was saying, there's no proof that we are children of _the Silent One._ So there really should be no reason to reach such accusations—"

_"'No reason?'" _Thalia interrupted quite rudely. "Do you seriously believe necromancy comes from some other god? To be able to raise the dead that naturally—there's no reason you two _aren't_ children of the Silent One."

The clattering of bones grew disturbingly louder. I know for a fact I didn't raise anymore skeletons. So that means… My eyes widened. "Guys! Can everybody please shut their face holes for one second?"

"'Face hole?'" Percy looked confused. "What's that—"

"Shh!" Annabeth shushed him. "He's right, Seaweed Brain. Listen."

Everyone quieted down long enough to hear it. The sound of bone against bone became eerily more prominent. Several footsteps echoed just outside of the room. Everyone turned to me expectantly.

"Did thou—"

I interrupted Zoe, already knowing what she was about to say. "No. No, I did not."

"So then what's—"

"Oh, no," A very pale Percy interrupted Thalia. "I forgot about that."

"The other problem," Annabeth shakily voiced her concerns out loud. "We really need to get out of here now."

Grover frowned. "What's the other problem?"

"No time to explain. We need to leave _pronto," _I said hurriedly. I dashed over to the other side of the room to pick up the pelt laying forgotten on the polished floor. I have a feeling it'll come in handy soon.

"Who's com—" Bianca was yet again interrupted by the skeleton warriors charging in. At least twenty of them stood in the doorway, all dressed in grey security guard uniforms with guns in their hands. To mortals, they looked like ordinary security guards who haven't seen the sun in ages. But us demigods knew better. They raised their guns, and each skeleton aimed at one of us. They seemed to be confused as to which one of us is Percy. They aimed and fired. Gunshots resonated and the world around me suddenly moved in slow motion.

Someone's scream filled the air.

Zoe lunged at Bianca and hurled her to the hardwood floor. They narrowly missed the silver bullets aimed for their heads.

The chinks of metal echoed.

Thalia shoved Grover behind her as her shield began to form. The bullets pounded against the bronze melodically, like music. It was the song of battle.

The click of a pen resounded through the room.

Even as Anaklusmos jutted out into existence, Percy and Annabeth knew it couldn't protect them from all of the bullets. So they raised their weapons at the ready, both preparing for their demise.

No. I've come too far. I've risked too much.

I refuse to let the Heroes of Olympus go down by a few pitiful bullets. Without thinking, I flung the pelt of the Nemean Lion in their direction. Somehow, Percy caught it and covered the two of them just before the bullets hit.

Who's going to save me?

I almost laughed at the thought. Nobody has time for that. My reflexes kicked in and I flung backwards at an impossible degree. Right where my heart should have been, the bullets instead sliced through empty air.

Just as quickly, the world geared back into regular speed. A synchronization of shattering glass sounded behind us. All the tiny pieces flew around me, catching the light of the room. Like stardust, I thought.

We wasted no time sprinting out of the room. There was an unspoken agreement that we simply can't waste our time with bullets. Swords and monsters have proven to be more our speed. We raced down the halls in search of the nearest exit.

"We can try going downstairs," Bianca suggested. Her hair flew behind her like a flock of ravens in the setting sun.

"Takes too long," Annabeth and I answered simultaneously.

Then I spotted it.

Right down the hall, a single window was situated against the red brick. A pool of multicolored light shone through the colorful pane. The window was a nice piece of artwork, with vivid displays of what looked to be shapes—tons of them, ranging from circles to squares to rectangles to ovals. They all looked randomly placed and yet somehow couldn't have been more perfectly arranged. The stained glass reminded me of the Seven and the Greco-Roman Pantheon in general. Every bit different, yet one of the same.

It's a shame we're going to have to break it.

"Guys!" I pointed at the window. "I think I found our way out."

The skeletal security guards emerged from the far end of the hallway with their guns pointed at us once again. _Uh, oh._ Without a word, Percy and Thalia activated their shields and plowed them into the window. As the fragments of the masterpiece fell to the ground, so did the children of the Big Three. We followed not a second later. As I descended, the fragments around me sparkled in the sunlight. It created a rainbow of colors, though it did nothing to brighten the mood. It instead eerily remind me of all the colors in my drawing. So many shades falling to the ground. All the wildflowers in the field...

I tucked and rolled as the ground grew nearer. The others did the same. We didn't stop to see if the skeleton warriors were still following us. We simply made a break for it to the van. We all filed in, with Zoe in the driver's seat, Bianca in the passenger's, Thalia and Grover in the middle row, and Percy, Annabeth, and I at the very back. Zoe didn't ask where we're headed. She instead drove like the speed demon she is out of the museum parking lot.

We all breathed a sigh of relief when we were out of the general vicinity of the Smithsonian. Finally, I thought, We're safe! Then the bullets ricochet off of the back of the van, and I realized I thought too soon. Zoe tried to drive around the traffic of Washington DC, but to no avail. The cars simply refused to move, even for seven desperate demigods, Hunters, and satyr who are being chased by crazy skeletons with guns.

Fine, I thought, Have it your way, people. It's not like our very existence will determine the fate of the world as we know it, but whatever.

"There's a train station!" Annabeth shouted. "We can lose them there!"

We all abandoned the van and sprinted to the train station a yard or two away. We paid for the tickets with surprising speed and went aboard on the next train, heading west to save the goddess in chains.


	21. Chapter 20:

A/N:

Hey guys, just wanted to say that out of all the chapters I wrote so far, this is by far my favorite! Hope you enjoy it too!

Chapter 20: A Time For the Inbetween

It wasn't until several trains later that we finally lost the skeleton warriors. At least for now, anyway. We paid for tickets after tickets, paying no attention to which cardinal direction we were heading. By noon, we found ourselves on yet another train, though this time we knew for sure we were heading west.

We all found some cheap window seats to sit around. None of us spoke—what was there to say? Plenty of things about me and my sister's existence, I'm sure. Still no one said a word. The sound of wheels on train tracks became somewhat comforting to hear. It was, oddly enough, a nice white noise in the background of deafening quiet.

Finally Zoe broke the silence. "I cannot be certain which one of thou is the fifth member of the quest. Which means all three of thou must accompany us on the journey until it is revealed," she said reluctantly. We all nodded. We understood the unspoken words: Until two of us dies.

As grim as it looks, I'm praying there's another meaning to the prophecy. Or better yet—my ability to make another meaning. Loopholes can be quite tricky, though with enough forward thinking and prior knowledge, I might be able to pull it off. I can only hope.

I tried to banish the pessimistic thoughts from my mind, but deep down I have a sinking feeling someone is going to die. Who will it be? I was foolish enough to think I could save everyone. I was foolish enough to believe in the fantasies painted in my mind. All the prettiest, vibrant hues of the world—save for the ruthless red, dreary grey, and soulless black. No more wildflowers in the field.

No more shades.

How is it something so innocent could become something so sinister? And where, for the life of me, did the inbetween go? Ever since my arrival into the past, my life has been nothing but a swirl of ups and downs. Just like that poem, _Ecclesiastes._The pleasure and pain in my life is almost poetic:

A time for hope and a time for secrets.

A time for hugs and a time for tears.

A time for love and a time for hate.

A time for order and a time for chaos.

A time for bond and a time for blood.

When is it time for the inbetween? Will there ever be a time?

There's no middle ground. No neutral zone. All that's there is a never ending cycle of happiness and misery. What about all the mediocre people with their mediocre lives? Where do they belong? In the fields of Asphodel, my brain supplied. Where they've always belonged.

For death, sure. But what about for life? Is there ever an in between with that?

A time for life and a time for death.

What about a time for just _being?_

Life and death are full of emotions. And with these emotions comes torment and experience. And with this torment and experience comes enlightenment; the light bulb going off in the mind.

But what does it feel like to just be?

What do you feel then? Do you even feel at all? Can you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell? Or are all the senses of human nature turned off, just like that? Sometimes I wish I can just be. Perhaps then I wouldn't have to feel the good and the bad. I can be eternally neutral and undecided. I imagine there would be nothing to experience. Nothing to torment you. Nothing to spark a lightbulb in your brain.

If happiness brings pain then do I really want it? Or would I rather just be in the inbetween? Are life and death really all that they're cut out to be?

I frowned. It's selfish to ponder such thoughts. Whether I like it or not, I'm here with a job to do. I intend to complete it, from the very beginning to the very end. So why am I thinking this then? Am I so miserable that I would stoop this low? I shook my head, trying and failing to rid myself of these thoughts. It's amazing how far my ADHD brain can go when it has nothing to do.

Well, at the very least I can provide it with _somewhat_ helpful dreams to ponder. I'm running low on sleep anyway. Might as well take this opportunity of momentary peace to take a nap.

I snuggled into my—well, more like Percy's—warm jacket and leaned my head against the cool glass of the rickety train. I fell asleep to the sounds of silence.

...

"Nico…"

My life flashed before my eyes: The Lotus Hotel and Casino, Westover Hall, Camp Half Blood, the Labyrinth, the Underworld, Camp Jupiter, and the broken, bloody world.

"Nico, where did you go?" A voice whispered.

So many scenes played before me within seconds: The lawyer taking Bianca and I out of the timeless casino. Percy Jackson's sword glinting in the darkness of the deserted corridor. The dream of my sister's death as she fearlessly took down the Talos prototype. The feeling of freedom as I glided through the air out of Daedalus' workshop and over the maze walls. My father's cold, callous eyes as he gazed down at me from his throne of bone. The Legion of a thousand warriors all lined up before the leaders of New Rome. My little sister's dull copper eyes staring into the ruthless red.

"Nico, we waited for you," the voice sounded familiar, like a distant echo.

The cacophonous sound of ringing reverberated in my ears once again. In an instant, I was back on the battlefield. Thousands of bodies were piled in defeated heaps on the blood-soaked earth. So many eyes, so many shades stared into the ruthless red. I recognized the ones closest to me. On the left side of me, Percy, Will, and Annabeth's corpses laid still on the wrangled earth. On the right side, Jason, Reyna, and Megan stared back at me with empty eyes. In front of me, a few feet away, Hazel was the only one left standing. She regarded me with passive eyes and an emotionless face, so unlike her usual cheery presence. Her golden eyes looked duller than normal.

"Hazel?" I hesitated. Something isn't right about her. I didn't care. She's alive and safe, and that's all that matters. "Hazel!" I darted to her, attempting to hug her and be taken away from this terrifying world. But I passed right through her. She looked corporeal, though she was nothing more than a ghost—an echo on this dying earth.

I looked at her in horror. She looked at me in despair. "You left me, Nico. I waited for you and you abandoned me," she said. There was an overwhelming misery that I couldn't even begin to comprehend in her voice. "How could you?"

"I—I had to! It was the only way to save you!" I exclaimed. Tears streamed down my cheeks as she gazed at me hopelessly. Pain was painted all over her pretty face.

"You are only delaying the inevitable, Nico. It will catch up to you one day. If not now, soon," she declared. Then she began to disappear like mist into the heavy air. I watched the light leave her eyes all over again as she started to fade. Resentment was the last look I saw cross her face.

"HAZEL!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I broke down sobbing. My knees and palms dug into the scarlet earth. Everyone is gone. Everyone is dead. There's nobody left to save.

I can't do this anymore! I can't do this! I can't do this!

"Hey, don't cry. it's gonna be okay, Death Boy," an unfamiliar voice said. The mysterious girl wrapped her warm arms around me in a hug. I looked up. A girl of about 12 years old stared down at me with her crystal blue eyes. She had caramel blonde hair, a proud face, and a strange necklace shaped like an angel around her neck. "The sun will rise again," she reassured me. With the conviction in her British accent, I couldn't help but believe her.

"Who—who are you?" I asked. My tears ceased to a slow fall, like the soft patter of rain.

A boy of about 13 suddenly materialized next to her. He had dark skin, curly brown hair, and the same proud face as the mysterious girl. Around his neck, an eye-shaped pendant glinted in the red sun. He answered for her. "The change you're going to bring."

...

I jolted awake, gaping for breath. Cold sweat dripped down my brow as I began to shake uncontrollably. What was that? Who are those people? I glanced at my hands. Nothing. Not even a single drop of scarlet. I guess that I've been fooling people for so long, I've finally fooled myself. I recalled the resentment in Hazel's eyes, her silhouette against the backdrop of an unforgivable war. It haunted me down to my very core. No matter how much I blinked, the image just wouldn't go away.

She's right, I realized. I abandoned her and everyone I loved that day. Their blood is now on my hands.

Was it worth it? Can I really undo what's been done, or will my efforts be in vain? After all, two people are most likely going to have to die on this quest, just like it happened before. I have an inkling feeling I'll be a victim.

I was suddenly aware of the piercing eyes watching me carefully from the shadows of the corner seat. Thalia Grace regarded me curiously. "Dream?" She asked.

"Dream," I confirmed solemnly. I looked away, unable to meet those electrifying eyes of hers. They reminded me too much of Jason. I can't bring myself to think about the Son of Jupiter without a whirlwind of emotions accompanying it. Respect, resentment, admiration, and far too much guilt spun inside me.

"You want to talk about it?" She inquired. The tone of her voice was hard to place. There was curiosity, caution, and something else I couldn't quite read.

"No," I deadpanned. I wasn't trying to sound rude, but the nightmare left me in a pretty crappy mood. I wasn't quite ready to socialize with people yet.

Is there anything I should know? Anything that might help us in the quest?" She asked.

Yes. Your brother is actually alive, Roman demigods exist, and the world is about to end in four years.

"No," I lied smoothly. "Just a bad dream." She stared at me for a moment, studying me. She must have felt satisfied with my answer as she didn't comment any further.

She gazed out the window and I did too. Freshly fallen snow slowly drifted down from the white sky. I've already broken my vow. I promised myself I wouldn't lie any further, and yet I just straight up lied to the Daughter of Zeus right then and there. I wonder if I hope hard enough, can the snow shroud my black deception in an innocent blanket of white? I stared guiltily at my hands, imagining a thousand shades of scarlet slowly dripping down my palms. I swallowed thickly. Perhaps then Thalia will never have to see me for what I truly am.

A time for truth and a time for lies.

A time for innocence and a time for deception.

When will it be time to forget?


	22. Author’s Notes

A/N:

Hey guys, just wanted to say that out of all the chapters I wrote so far, this is by far my favorite! Hope you enjoy it too!

Chapter 20: A Time For the Inbetween

It wasn't until several trains later that we finally lost the skeleton warriors. At least for now, anyway. We paid for tickets after tickets, paying no attention to which cardinal direction we were heading. By noon, we found ourselves on yet another train, though this time we knew for sure we were heading west.

We all found some cheap window seats to sit around. None of us spoke—what was there to say? Plenty of things about me and my sister's existence, I'm sure. Still no one said a word. The sound of wheels on train tracks became somewhat comforting to hear. It was, oddly enough, a nice white noise in the background of deafening quiet.

Finally Zoe broke the silence. "I cannot be certain which one of thou is the fifth member of the quest. Which means all three of thou must accompany us on the journey until it is revealed," she said reluctantly. We all nodded. We understood the unspoken words: Until two of us dies.

As grim as it looks, I'm praying there's another meaning to the prophecy. Or better yet—my ability to make another meaning. Loopholes can be quite tricky, though with enough forward thinking and prior knowledge, I might be able to pull it off. I can only hope.

I tried to banish the pessimistic thoughts from my mind, but deep down I have a sinking feeling someone is going to die. Who will it be? I was foolish enough to think I could save everyone. I was foolish enough to believe in the fantasies painted in my mind. All the prettiest, vibrant hues of the world—save for the ruthless red, dreary grey, and soulless black. No more wildflowers in the field.

No more shades.

How is it something so innocent could become something so sinister? And where, for the life of me, did the inbetween go? Ever since my arrival into the past, my life has been nothing but a swirl of ups and downs. Just like that poem, _Ecclesiastes._The pleasure and pain in my life is almost poetic:

A time for hope and a time for secrets.

A time for hugs and a time for tears.

A time for love and a time for hate.

A time for order and a time for chaos.

A time for bond and a time for blood.

When is it time for the inbetween? Will there ever be a time?

There's no middle ground. No neutral zone. All that's there is a never ending cycle of happiness and misery. What about all the mediocre people with their mediocre lives? Where do they belong? In the fields of Asphodel, my brain supplied. Where they've always belonged.

For death, sure. But what about for life? Is there ever an in between with that?

A time for life and a time for death.

What about a time for just _being?_

Life and death are full of emotions. And with these emotions comes torment and experience. And with this torment and experience comes enlightenment; the light bulb going off in the mind.

But what does it feel like to just be?

What do you feel then? Do you even feel at all? Can you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell? Or are all the senses of human nature turned off, just like that? Sometimes I wish I can just be. Perhaps then I wouldn't have to feel the good and the bad. I can be eternally neutral and undecided. I imagine there would be nothing to experience. Nothing to torment you. Nothing to spark a lightbulb in your brain.

If happiness brings pain then do I really want it? Or would I rather just be in the inbetween? Are life and death really all that they're cut out to be?

I frowned. It's selfish to ponder such thoughts. Whether I like it or not, I'm here with a job to do. I intend to complete it, from the very beginning to the very end. So why am I thinking this then? Am I so miserable that I would stoop this low? I shook my head, trying and failing to rid myself of these thoughts. It's amazing how far my ADHD brain can go when it has nothing to do.

Well, at the very least I can provide it with _somewhat_ helpful dreams to ponder. I'm running low on sleep anyway. Might as well take this opportunity of momentary peace to take a nap.

I snuggled into my—well, more like Percy's—warm jacket and leaned my head against the cool glass of the rickety train. I fell asleep to the sounds of silence.

...

"Nico…"

My life flashed before my eyes: The Lotus Hotel and Casino, Westover Hall, Camp Half Blood, the Labyrinth, the Underworld, Camp Jupiter, and the broken, bloody world.

"Nico, where did you go?" A voice whispered.

So many scenes played before me within seconds: The lawyer taking Bianca and I out of the timeless casino. Percy Jackson's sword glinting in the darkness of the deserted corridor. The dream of my sister's death as she fearlessly took down the Talos prototype. The feeling of freedom as I glided through the air out of Daedalus' workshop and over the maze walls. My father's cold, callous eyes as he gazed down at me from his throne of bone. The Legion of a thousand warriors all lined up before the leaders of New Rome. My little sister's dull copper eyes staring into the ruthless red.

"Nico, we waited for you," the voice sounded familiar, like a distant echo.

The cacophonous sound of ringing reverberated in my ears once again. In an instant, I was back on the battlefield. Thousands of bodies were piled in defeated heaps on the blood-soaked earth. So many eyes, so many shades stared into the ruthless red. I recognized the ones closest to me. On the left side of me, Percy, Will, and Annabeth's corpses laid still on the wrangled earth. On the right side, Jason, Reyna, and Megan stared back at me with empty eyes. In front of me, a few feet away, Hazel was the only one left standing. She regarded me with passive eyes and an emotionless face, so unlike her usual cheery presence. Her golden eyes looked duller than normal.

"Hazel?" I hesitated. Something isn't right about her. I didn't care. She's alive and safe, and that's all that matters. "Hazel!" I darted to her, attempting to hug her and be taken away from this terrifying world. But I passed right through her. She looked corporeal, though she was nothing more than a ghost—an echo on this dying earth.

I looked at her in horror. She looked at me in despair. "You left me, Nico. I waited for you and you abandoned me," she said. There was an overwhelming misery that I couldn't even begin to comprehend in her voice. "How could you?"

"I—I had to! It was the only way to save you!" I exclaimed. Tears streamed down my cheeks as she gazed at me hopelessly. Pain was painted all over her pretty face.

"You are only delaying the inevitable, Nico. It will catch up to you one day. If not now, soon," she declared. Then she began to disappear like mist into the heavy air. I watched the light leave her eyes all over again as she started to fade. Resentment was the last look I saw cross her face.

"HAZEL!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I broke down sobbing. My knees and palms dug into the scarlet earth. Everyone is gone. Everyone is dead. There's nobody left to save.

I can't do this anymore! I can't do this! I can't do this!

"Hey, don't cry. it's gonna be okay, Death Boy," an unfamiliar voice said. The mysterious girl wrapped her warm arms around me in a hug. I looked up. A girl of about 12 years old stared down at me with her crystal blue eyes. She had caramel blonde hair, a proud face, and a strange necklace shaped like an angel around her neck. "The sun will rise again," she reassured me. With the conviction in her British accent, I couldn't help but believe her.

"Who—who are you?" I asked. My tears ceased to a slow fall, like the soft patter of rain.

A boy of about 13 suddenly materialized next to her. He had dark skin, curly brown hair, and the same proud face as the mysterious girl. Around his neck, an eye-shaped pendant glinted in the red sun. He answered for her. "The change you're going to bring."

...

I jolted awake, gaping for breath. Cold sweat dripped down my brow as I began to shake uncontrollably. What was that? Who are those people? I glanced at my hands. Nothing. Not even a single drop of scarlet. I guess that I've been fooling people for so long, I've finally fooled myself. I recalled the resentment in Hazel's eyes, her silhouette against the backdrop of an unforgivable war. It haunted me down to my very core. No matter how much I blinked, the image just wouldn't go away.

She's right, I realized. I abandoned her and everyone I loved that day. Their blood is now on my hands.

Was it worth it? Can I really undo what's been done, or will my efforts be in vain? After all, two people are most likely going to have to die on this quest, just like it happened before. I have an inkling feeling I'll be a victim.

I was suddenly aware of the piercing eyes watching me carefully from the shadows of the corner seat. Thalia Grace regarded me curiously. "Dream?" She asked.

"Dream," I confirmed solemnly. I looked away, unable to meet those electrifying eyes of hers. They reminded me too much of Jason. I can't bring myself to think about the Son of Jupiter without a whirlwind of emotions accompanying it. Respect, resentment, admiration, and far too much guilt spun inside me.

"You want to talk about it?" She inquired. The tone of her voice was hard to place. There was curiosity, caution, and something else I couldn't quite read.

"No," I deadpanned. I wasn't trying to sound rude, but the nightmare left me in a pretty crappy mood. I wasn't quite ready to socialize with people yet.

Is there anything I should know? Anything that might help us in the quest?" She asked.

Yes. Your brother is actually alive, Roman demigods exist, and the world is about to end in four years.

"No," I lied smoothly. "Just a bad dream." She stared at me for a moment, studying me. She must have felt satisfied with my answer as she didn't comment any further.

She gazed out the window and I did too. Freshly fallen snow slowly drifted down from the white sky. I've already broken my vow. I promised myself I wouldn't lie any further, and yet I just straight up lied to the Daughter of Zeus right then and there. I wonder if I hope hard enough, can the snow shroud my black deception in an innocent blanket of white? I stared guiltily at my hands, imagining a thousand shades of scarlet slowly dripping down my palms. I swallowed thickly. Perhaps then Thalia will never have to see me for what I truly am.

A time for truth and a time for lies.

A time for innocence and a time for deception.

When will it be time to forget?


	23. Actual Author’s Notes

A/N:

The Actual Author's Notes

Hey guys, I'm so tired right now that I just posted the same chapter twice… sorry about that. Just wanted to wish you all a Merry belated Christmas! Sorry for the slow updates recently. I decided to write another story—a one-shot crossover for the first time ever. Needless to say, I think I just wrote the longest one-shot in the history of one-shots. It's a Young Justice and Percy Jackson crossover about Nico di Angelo accidentally breaking into the Watchtower and Robin has to interrogate him. Just something I've been having in my mind for a while so I decided to write it and publish it. It's complete if any of you are interested in reading it! It's called Interrogational Therapy. Anyway, sorry again for the slow updates, I'll try not to get so distracted next time.


	24. Chapter 21:

Chapter 21: What Happens In Dark and Dangerous Alleys

The train finally came to a stop after what seemed like an eternity. Seven sleepy heads filed out of the train with suspicious looks on their faces. We all kept our guard up. We do _not _want another run in with the skeleton warriors. As we were walking by, I noticed a sign at the entrance of the station: _Sun West Lines._

Well, I thought. This pretty much guarantees we're headed in the right direction.

As relieving as it is, I still have a lot more problems on my plate to deal with. For example, I have to figure out a way to prevent my older sister's death. And I have to unite the Greeks and Romans before our psychotic great grandmother kills us all. I can't forget about our cannibalistic grandfather too. Not to mention I'm going to have to find some way to convince Percy to take a swim in the Styx without accidentally betraying him this time. I also need to resurrect Hazel, and make a silver and Stygian iron sword. Oh, and I need to find the least damaging way possible of breaking the news that Thalia's brother is still alive. Or I'm going to need to build a bomb shelter and lock myself in it if she finds out on her own.

Yep, the future's looking great.

We wander out of the train station and through the dreary town. Everywhere I looked, sleet and mud covered the roads, roofs, signs, gutters, and even the cars. There's nothing "sunny" about this town whatsoever. People sulked around the streets, acting like somebody just ran over their puppy. With the creepy vibe oozing from this town, I wouldn't put it past them. Others loitered outside of the stores, staring at the pedestrians as they walked by. Now, generally this wouldn't really bother me. I am the son of the Lord of the Dead after all. But the 10 year old side of me was frightened of all the creepiness of the street.

I scooted a little closer to Percy and Annabeth.

"So, does anybody know where we should be headed next?" Percy asked. "Because I don't."

"I think we should be walking in that direction," Bianca said. She pointed to a run-down alley in a _really_ shady looking part of town.

"Um, should we really be heading down that way?" Grover asked. "It looks _really_ shady."

Thank you, Grover for voicing everyone's thoughts on the matter.

"Yeah, I'm with Grover on this one. Why should we head down the dark and dangerous alley where monsters could easily jump us and we would have no means of escape?" Thalia asked. No means of escape? There's _always_ a means of escape. Or at least, that's generally how it goes for me. Dark alleys almost always have a lot of shadows to jump through.

"I-I'm not so sure. I just have this gut feeling, you know? My instincts are telling me that's the best way to go, and we don't have any better leads," the Daughter of Hades replied.

"Okay, works for me," the Son of Posiedon said. He was about to make his way down the dark alley, but Annabeth pulled him back.

"Slow your horses, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth chided. "Zoe's the one who received the prophecy, so she should have the final say," she turned to the lieutenant Hunter. "What do you think about this?"

Zoe frowned in contemplation. "I think it is the best lead we have. Lead the way, Bianca."

"Hold up," Grover said. He made the universal _stop _motion with his hands. "So, we've all agreed we're going to head down the dark and dangerous alley? Just like that?" He sighed. "I hate to be the voice of reason—I really do. But someone's got to step into the role, now more than ever. Have you ever considered there could be a…" he cupped his hands into a circle on top of his forehead. "One-eyed friend down there? Or here's another thought: More skeleton warriors?"

"Dark and dangerous alleys aren't _that _bad!" I said. "Don't jinx it, Grover. You never know who could be listening. Besides, there's seven of us! We can take them!"

"That," Percy pointed at me. "Is the attitude that generally gets yourself eaten alive faster."

"Shut up, Kelp Head."

"Just saying, Death Breath."

"I agree with Kelp Head. That's a really stupid way of thinking," Thalia said.

"Stay out of this, Pinecone Face," Percy quipped.

"I'd watch what you say if I were you, Kelp Head," Thalia warned. A spark of electricity crackled from the Daughter of Zeus' now formed fists.

"Okay," Annabeth said as she separated Thalia, Percy, and I away from each other. "Like I said earlier, Zoe's the leader of this quest. And like Bianca said earlier, we have no better leads. So we are heading down the dark and dangerous alley whether everyone agrees or not. Got it?"

Everyone nodded and mumbled a: "Got it."

"I can't believe it took us five minutes to decide whether or not we should go down a dark alley," I heard Thalia grumble somewhere behind me.

We cautiously made our way into the dark alley. Zoe somewhat reluctantly took the lead, with Bianca right beside her, Grover and Thalia behind them, and Percy, Annabeth, and I in the very back. As we walked through the narrow passage, homeless people stared at us curiously behind their dumpster lit bonfires. A horrible smell pervaded my nostrils. A scent of rotten eggs and wet dog lingered in the frosty air.

"Hey," one of the homeless men greeted. He had a shaggy blond beard, a crooked smile that was conveniently missing front teeth, and wore a rugged red beanie to shield his ears from the bitter cold. "You want to join me around the bonfire? It's warm!"

Zoe and Bianca looked absolutely appalled that the man had asked such a thing, Grover shifted nervously behind Thalia, and Percy and Annabeth glanced at each other suspiciously. I however, stepped forward. There's something off about this guy. I gazed at the other homeless people around us out of the corner of my eye. Everyone looked somewhat presentable and calm. They hovered their hands over the fire, minded their own business, and stayed out of trouble. Is it a coincidence that this guy is the only one _looking_ for trouble?

I studied the man. He looked out of place with his homeless buddies around him. His clothes looked way nastier and rugged than everyone else's. I frowned. It's like he's trying to seek attention. But why? Then I noticed his eyes. The bright blue orbs twinkled mysteriously in the firelight. It was so unlike the dull, foggy colors around him. A strange aura seemed to resonate from the man.

This is no homeless guy, I thought. Only one god would be so desperate for attention.

"Lord Apollo," I addressed calmly and quietly. "What brings you to Sun West Lines?"

I smirked at his look of surprise.

"Nico, what are you—"

Apollo shushed Percy quite loudly. "I'm undercover!" He whisper-yelled. "My dad doesn't know I'm here!"

Everyone exchanged looks of surprise. "How did you know it's me?" The Sun God asked.

"You're trying too hard," I answered. "If you want to blend in more, I would tone down the aura and disguise."

Apollo nodded thoughtfully. Perhaps he was filing this information for his later disguises. "Wait, time out," Bianca chimed in. "You're really…"

"Yup," the god said, popping the "p." His face darkened. "Look, I want to help my little sister anyway I can. Since us gods are not allowed to directly interfere, I figured I could… _discreetly_ guide you in the right direction."

"And how would you define 'discreet?'" Thalia asked. "Cause' I don't think we go by the same definition."

He leaned forward, and his face was casted in an eerie glow. It strangely reminded me of someone who's about to tell a ghost story by the fire. "There is a man who lives in the sea, just beyond this coast. I think you will find his knowledge to be very helpful on your quest," he suggested.

Zoe gasped. "The Old Man of the Sea!" She turned to us. "Nereus, the God of the sea's rich bounty of fish, possesses all insightful knowledge! He even knows of things the Oracle of Delphi has yet to discover! Legend has it, he will grant anyone who captures him one question to answer," the spark of hope dimmed in her dark eyes. "But he is hard to find. He is a master at hiding in plain sight with his shape-shifting ability. Thou will not find him if thou does not know where to look."

Thalia asked what everyone was thinking. "Nereus chose to live here?" She gestured to the whole town. "The god that literally knows everything chose to live by this coast?"

Zoe wrinkled her nose in disgust. "He is known for his knowledge, not his taste in residence," was all she said.

"Maybe he thinks this is the best place to hide in plain sight," I reasoned. "It's actually pretty ingenious. No one would expect a god to live in a run down town like this one. Thus, no one can locate him. I would have done the same thing if I were in his situation."

"Makes sense," Annabeth said. "Now that leaves the question: What form has he taken?"

I frowned. "Probably something inconspicuous, like a fish."

"Definitely. And a fish that isn't eye-catching or vibrant, as to not attract attention," the Daughter of Wisdom added.

"Then again, he doesn't want to be a super ugly fish. That still attracts a great deal of attention too," I said.

"We also have to take into account the various seafood indigenous to the locals. I'm sure it would be quite annoying to get caught in a net over and over again."

"And we want to take into account the seafoods other people eat too, especially the people this town trades seafood with."

"There's a lot of factors that go into this," Annabeth pondered. "He may not even be a fish at all."

"If he isn't a fish, there's a possibility he could be shrimp or plankton."

"But he wouldn't want to be prey either. I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate constantly avoiding heroes _and_ predators."

"Though he's a god. So couldn't he just like, telepathically tell the predators to leave him alone?" I pointed out.

"He may not even be a sea creature at all!" The Daughter of Athena exclaimed. "What animals are inconspicuous, dominant, uninteresting, not the preferred food choice, and sea creatures?"

"He might be a tardigrade," I deduced. "Tardigrades are extremely inconspicuous, to the point where they are literally microscopic. They are practically indestructible, can survive extreme temperatures, including snow, space, mountain peaks, volcanoes, and eight times the pressure of the deepest trench in the sea—the Mariana Trench. And they're super adorable little water bears too," I added. Oh, I love tardigrades. They're one of my favorite animals out there, save for the mantis shrimp.

Annabeth nodded in agreement. "I could definitely see a god taking that form, especially the Old Man of the Sea."

I gasped. "He could be a shark!"

"Sharks don't hang out this close to the coast."

"How do we know he's even hanging out near the coast at all?" I challenged. "For all we know, he could be far out at sea eating plentiful fish and relaxing."

"Yeah, though shark fin soup has become increasingly more popular over the years, especially at places by the beach."

"He might be a mantis shrimp. The species are both majestic and incredibly deadly. People probably wouldn't feel inclined to searching for them either as they can kill a person with a mean punch of the force of a .22 caliber bullet in 23 metres per second," I suggested. How do I know this stuff? All of those conversations with the ghosts of scientists really pays off.

"Good point," Annabeth said. She turned to the others. "So, we're looking for some kind of inconspicuous fish, shark, tardigrade, or mantis shrimp."

No one said anything for a solid minute. For some weird reason, Percy, Grover, and Thalia looked impressed. Zoe gave me a look of respect, and was that… was that jealousy flashing in Bianca's eyes? Even Apollo looked speechless. I frowned. Why are they looking at us this way? "Um, guys. You okay?" I asked.

That got everybody's attention. All at once, everyone spoke.

"Holy Hephaestus!"

"Guys, I think we just found the first raven-haired child of Athena!"

"He just held a logical conversation with her! That's like, impossible!"

"Thou have earned my respect."

"Wow! You guys are smart!" Apollo exclaimed.

My face began to heat up. "We—we were just thinking. It was nothing—really." I suddenly became extremely interested in my shoes. I tried to keep my head down to hide my blush, but I don't have long bangs anymore. The pink on my nose and cheeks were as clear as daylight.

"Someone's a little modest too, I see," Annabeth smiled proudly. She ruffled my hair.

"Okay," Percy said. He raised his hands in a _quiet down _gesture. "Can we just take a moment to appreciate the fact that we found a little genius? Like, one that's actually on Wise Girl's level?"

I felt my ears heating up from all the attention. Oh, lovely.

"I have to say, I do enjoy having conversations more up to my speed. I hope we can do this more often, Neeks," Annabeth said.

I nodded in agreement. I couldn't stop the small smile from gracing my face. Out of the corner of my eye, the frown evident on my sister's face didn't escape me. Why is she acting like this? I almost scoffed. Does it really matter? Still…

I suppressed a sigh. Whether I like it or not, she's my sister. I have to find out what's wrong. I have to make amends with her. Bianca di Angelo's life depends on it. Later, I thought. When we look for the Old Man of the Sea, I'll talk to her.

"Once you find the Old Man of the Sea, we will speak again," Apollo announced. "Until then."

The Sun God disappeared. We only had a second to close our eyes before the flash of blinding light could kill us all.

"Well," Percy said. "It's time to go fishing."


	25. Chapter 22:

Chapter 22: the Honey, the Fire, and the Fury

We arrived at the edge of the coast. The beach was, as to be expected, _freezing. _The cold water certainly didn't help the situation either. My teeth chattered as the icy wind blew in through my clothes.

Percy strolled through the frigid waves, completely unbothered by the temperature. He stopped somewhere in the middle of the sandbank. He raised his hands and closed his eyes in concentration. "This could take a while," he said. "I don't know how long it will take to sense the guy and summon him to shore."

"Right," said Thalia. "Is anyone else hungry? Because I'm starving. How much money do we have left to use?"

Bianca pulled an envelope out of the pocket of her jacket. She opened it and counted the money inside. She grimaced. "Not much, I'm afraid. I don't think there's enough to buy a couple of meals."

"Can I take a look?" Annabeth asked. Bianca wordlessly handed the envelope to her. Annabeth too, tallied up the dollars. "There's barely enough in here to get a decent cup of coffee. We've spent most of it on train tickets to lose our bony friends."

All of our stomachs conveniently grumbled simultaneously. "Yeah, cup of coffee isn't going to do," Thalia confirmed.

"We can try hunting for our food. I'm sure there are plenty of wild beasts that we can hunt and feast on," Zoe said.

"We can only hunt for wild animals in the _forest, _not in a town," Thalia argued. "Besides, even if there is a forest nearby, we can't just leave Percy. Especially with the skeleton warriors on our trail."

"We can try fishing. Maybe we can catch a fish or something," Bianca suggested.

"I think the water is too cold for that," Grover said.

"Here's a thought: Why don't we just ask Percy to summon some fish for us to cook?" Thalia said. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"Percy's trying to concentrate and we're on a deadline here. We need to use every second we can have," the Daughter of Wisdom said.

My eyes widened. I recalled what Hestia told me about my new powers. "I think I might be able to help with that," I scanned the beach for the desired materials to make a fire. I spotted some driftwood that looked dry enough just a few feet away. I ran over and collected the chunks of wood. I began to situate the driftwood in a tent-like formation.

"Um, Nico? As much as a fire might be appreciated right about now, we need food, not warmth," Thalia said.

"Just trust me," was all I had to say to that.

Fire, I thought. I need fire to create a hearth.

The solution presented itself in my mind. I can use Greek Fire. Hestia said I would unlock the ability to use it if I became her champion. But there's still a problem: Will the prayer still work with Greek Fire?

I sensed Hestia's presence in my mind once again. _Indeed it will._

I took a deep breath and hovered my hand over the twigs. I turned to the audience behind me. "You might want to step back."

I heard footsteps retreating and I got to work. I took another deep breath and concentrated. I tapped into my senses once more. The sounds around me ceased to exist, like I was underwater. All I could hear was my steady breathing.

In and out.

In and out.

My warm breath floated in front of me, only to dissipate into nothing due to the cold. Like me, fire is alive. It breathes, it feeds, and it destroys. But it also gives light, warmth, and safety. It's one of the primal energies mankind has had the means to create. But what ignited it? An object perhaps? A thought maybe? An emotion? The answer: All three.

Prometheus felt the emotion of pity towards the humans, so he stole fire for them. The humans knew of one thought before they discovered fire: Cold. In efforts to banish the thought, they accepted Prometheus' gift. Later on, mankind began to evolve. They realized that fire had other purposes besides heat. With their firestarters and flint and steel, they ignited fire to cook, give light, and _burn._

So that leaves the question for me: What is my firestarter?

I thought back to my breath clouding the air. I thought about one of mankind's first gifts. I stared at my hands. _I _am the firestarter. _I _am the heat. _I _am the energy. With this in mind, I summoned the fiery power deep inside me. I gasped as a strange sensation tingled and coursed from my heart, through my veins, and to my recoiling palms. I stared amazed at the sparkling emerald flames engulfing my hands. The flames licked my fingers, and oddly enough, I only felt a comfortable heat in my hand—nothing more. Without hesitation, I flung my hands into the fire pit. The twigs hissed and crackled as they fed the volatile flames.

I turned around, only to find expressions of shock painted all over the questers' faces. "You are just a little bundle full of surprises, aren't you?" Thalia asked.

I blinked. I wasn't sure how to respond to that. "You have anymore surprises that can find us some food?" Annabeth inquired.

I nodded and continued my business as if nothing happened. Annabeth, Thalia, Zoe, and Grover hovered over me as they awaited anxiously to see what I would do next. Only Bianca hung around near Percy. Her arms were crossed and a tight expression pulled her frown lower in dismay.

_Aunt Hestia? I was wondering if you could maybe send over some food? We're kind of short on money here,_ I prayed wordlessly.

I could almost sense Hestia's smile. _I would be happy to send you some food,_ she said. _Reach your hands into the fire. Do not be afraid._

I stared at the fire reluctantly. Usually when a goddess asks you to stick your hands into something, it's punishment for insulting them. Believe me, I would know. But this is Aunt Hestia, the goddess of all goddesses. I trust her.

I took a deep breath and submerged my hands into the emerald flames. Cries of alarm sounded next to me. "Nico! What did you do that for?! You aren't supposed to stick your hands in fire, dummy!" Thalia screamed in my ear. She made an attempt to yank my hands out of the fire, but Annabeth stopped her.

"Look," the Daughter of Athena said, "The fire—it isn't hurting him."

My hands suddenly latched around something warm in the fire, like porcelain. I smiled. I clutched the plate with both hands and carried it out of the fire. A steaming plate of cheeseburger and fries emerged from the jade flames. I sat it down next to me and reached again into the make-shift hearth. Cheeseburger after cheeseburger after cheeseburger came out, all piping hot and ready to eat. Seven plates in total were situated around me by the end of the ordeal.

_Thank you, Aunt Hestia!_ I exclaimed wordlessly.

_Any time, Nico. Any time, _I felt her presence leave my conscience.

Everyone's mouths watered as we stared at the cheeseburgers in amazement. Not a second later everyone claimed a plate and dug in.

"Oh my gods! This is so-o-o good!" Thalia shouted as devoured her burger. Annabeth shoved french fry after french fry into her mouth, not even bothering to chew all the way. After Grover finished the burger and fries, he began to eat the second course: The plate. Even Zoe lost her manners as she sank her teeth into a burger. I was about to pick up my burger, but I stopped.

A few feet away from us, Bianca gazed out into the sea with her arms wrapped around her. I glanced at a plate that hasn't been touched yet. I need to talk to her. I need to stop holding this grudge and I need to work this out with her. I took a deep breath and carried both of our plates over to where she was sitting.

"Hey," I greeted. "Mind if I join you?"

My answer was silence. She kept her dark eyes fixed on the dreary grey sea.

I handed her the plate. "Here. I thought you might be hungry."

She neglected the plate. "I'm not hungry."

Her stomach growled otherwise.

I frowned. "You need to eat something."

"You need to leave."

I took a deep breath and said, "I know you're mad at me. But your stomach isn't."

She finally turned and stared at me dead in the eye. I almost gasped. Her dark irises were like pools of black mirrors reflecting every emotion inside of her, all of the turmoil, all the pain from the past few days swirling into a violent storm.

"Bianca… what happened to you?" I breathed.

She looked away. "You happened."

My eyes widened. "I—I did this to you?" I took another deep breath. "I know I messed up. I know I hurt you. But I'm trying to fix it. I really am. Please just tell me what's wrong!"

"Leave me alone," was all she said.

"Bianca, please—"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!!" She roared. The shadows around her flickered and the earth trembled ever so slightly.

I couldn't stop the tears from sliding down my cheeks. Maybe that was due to the 10 year old part of me, or maybe it was just me. "Okay," I whispered softly and resignedly. "I'll go. I'm sorry I bothered you," I picked up my plate and walked away. I glanced over my shoulder. "I'm sorry for a lot of things."

The look of regret crossing Bianca's face didn't escape me as I left her and the steaming plate behind. I made my way over to the other side of the beach to collect myself. No matter how much I wiped the tears, they just kept coming. I shivered and brought my jacket closer as a cool breeze carried through the air, bringing forth the scent of sea salt and misery. After a couple of minutes, I gave up trying to stop the incessant flow of tears. It's no use anyway.

I buried my face into my hands, and my meal laid forgotten on the once steaming plate. Why? Why do I always hurt everyone I love? I thought back to the time I convinced Percy to bathe in the River Styx. How I unintentionally handed him right to my father, just to be thrown in prison. I naively thought I could give him a fighting chance against Kronos, but instead I broke the little trust the Son of Posiedon had for me. His look of betrayal burned like a branding in my skull. I recalled the time Minos persuaded me to find a soul to trade for Bianca's revival. I let him manipulate me, use me, and control me for his own selfish means. Instead of bringing back my sister, I made matters worse for everyone batting in the Labyrinth. The memory of Hazel's resurrection resurfaced. How I understood her pain and sacrifice and tried to give her a second chance. How I inevitably caused her more pain and suffering than she could have ever possibly imagined, all because of my stupidity and utter defeat in Tartarus. She worried for me, cried for me, and in the end, she took her _life _for me.

I looked up and gasped. Suddenly the dreamy white sky and steel grey sea disappeared into oblivion. Instead, a ruthless red sky emerged as I swam through an unforgivable sea of _bodies._ Panic flooded my senses. Every fiber, every vein, every cell in my body vibrated with adrenaline. The tune of ringing had returned to my ears. It was a familiar tune, a knowing presence set so deep, it had become a part of me. Like the shadow of a thousand wildflowers. Now roaring louder than ever before.

A growl sounded behind me. I whirled around and raised my sword at the ready. A hellhound had come to personally greet me. With the odds at stake, I wasn't sure which one of us would be saying goodbye. The manic monster slashed its sharp claws, but I managed to side-step before my head could be taken with them. I rolled underneath the hellhound's body to its most vulnerable spot: The belly. Without a second wasted I drove my blade through its stomach until it disintegrated into golden dust. I made a run for it before it could reform for a rematch.

I surveyed the battlefield. Blank, glassy eyes dusted the wrangled terrain like blood diamonds, reflecting and sparkling in the red sun. About a yard or two ahead of me, a lone figure resisted Mother Nature's forces as they sliced and diced. From a distance, I could clearly see a lot of imperial gold armor on the figure. I squinted for a better look. That's no armor. That's my sister. Her brilliant golden eyes flashed dangerously. Monsters would be insane to attempt to trample such a warrior. Then again, what do you have to fear when you live eternally?

I sprinted to her, wincing every time my foot stepped into a pool of blood. "Hazel!" I screamed. She looked up. Tears ran down her cheeks when she saw me. With one fluid motion, she slashed her hand through the air and a flurry of diamonds, gold, and all the most precious gems of the earth impaled the surrounding enemies.

She sprinted the rest of the distance to me. "Nico! Gods, You're alive!" She cried as she wrapped her arms around me. "I can't believe you're alive!"

I buried my head into her cinnamon hair. "They're all gone, Hazel. They're all gone," I took a shaky breath. "We're the last ones. You're the last of the Seven."

A sob escaped her lips. "I know, Nico. I felt it," she looked up. Tears swam in her molten eyes. "We need to regroup. We need to fight," a spark ignited, and suddenly her soul burned brighter than the Phlegethon. Her rage was the gunpowder, her misery the matches, and her fury the fireworks. "We need to _avenge."_

I nodded solemnly. She drew her spatha and I drew my sword. We circled back to back as we slashed. Golden sand blew through the searing wind and flurried around us like pixie dust. How could something so beautiful come from something so menacing? The crescendos kept rising, though we had no time to consider it. It simply became the sad song in the background of what we have always called the nightmare of our lives. Dracaena, earthborne, empousa, hellhounds… somewhere along the line they all just blurred together. A particular monster—a cyclops—had crept up behind me without my knowledge. I was too busy stabbing an annoying empousa that just refused to back down. Her evil cackle wasn't helping either.

All too late did I become aware of the one-eyed creature only inches behind me. Hazel's honey-colored eyes widened. "LOOK OUT!" My sister lunged at me and pushed me away from the gigantic spear that was a second away from puncturing my chest.

Hazel wasn't so lucky.

"HAZEL!" I screamed her name. She gasped and dropped her spatha. With one quick swing of rage, I severed the cyclops' head off clean. I caught Hazel as her legs gave way. Scarlet leaked from her abdomen. The ringing increased in a crescendo once again and I knew she would soon join our father. I can only hope she won't be blamed for my transgression.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I shook my head in denial. "Nico…" she murmured weakly. This isn't happening, I thought. There's no way she's going too.

"Hazel, I'm sorry… I've failed you. I failed you just like Bianca," I sobbed.

_Bianca. _Suddenly her image flashed before me. She sat in front of me with a worried look in her eyes. "Nico, snap out of it!" She shouted.

"No," I turned back to Hazel. "you didn't fail me, Nico. You gave me a second chance at life, and I've enjoyed every moment of it…"

My older sister appeared once more. "Every moment with you," Bianca finished.

I blinked, trying to rid myself of these illusions. "I should've stayed with you, after what happened to the rest of the Seven…" A younger version of Percy and Annabeth flooded my vision for a sliver of a second. They too looked on wearily. I blinked once again. I looked down at my dying sister. "I love you, Hazel. Never forget it, okay?"

Bianca kneeled in front of me, her dark eyes wide and her silver aura shimmering in the dreary backdrop. "I am _so proud of you,"_ she said.

Hazel gave me a thin, sweet smile, and suddenly I saw Bianca staring back at me with determined eyes and that very same smile. My sight seemed to be having an eternal war with itself. It couldn't decide if it saw Bianca or Hazel. "I love you too, Neeks," both the girls finally said in bits and pieces.

"I'll wait for you," Hazel breathed. The honey, the fire, the fury left her eyes. A dull copper shade shone as her soul abandoned her body and she took her last breath.

I gasped as the dreamy white sky and steel grey sea appeared out of the abyss of my mind. My awareness returned, and it suddenly occurred to me that 1) everyone is crowded around me watching intently, 2) I'm crying like there's no tomorrow, (which could very well be true.) and 3) my sister is shaking me.

I blinked in confusion. What just happened? Was Bianca actually saying all of that or was I just seeing things? I recalled something Hazel went through when she came back to life. She had flashbacks of scenes before she died, whether it was scenes of friends, family, or even her own death. Could I be suffering from something similar? I don't remember falling asleep.

"Nico? Are you okay?" I turned to find concern written all over Annabeth's face. "You…You spaced out. Your eyes, there… There wasn't any white. Only black."

"I saw her, Annabeth," I croaked. "I saw her die all over again."

The Daughter of Athena paled considerably. "Hazel?"

I nodded.

Thalia frowned, "Who's Hazel?"

"No one you need to know about," I snapped.

"The boy is demonic!" Zoe exclaimed. "Ever since the Demon has joined us, he has been nothing but trouble and dark magic."

"Children of Hades have always been known for their bad luck," Grover admitted slowly. "...And their insanity."

"I agree," Thalia glared at me. "You're hiding something. What are your secrets?!"

I scoffed. Is she serious right now? "It took you this long to figure that out?" I narrowed my eyes at Thalia. "The question you should be asking, _Grace," _Thalia's expression darkened. She hates being called by her last name. At the moment I didn't care. "is not what my secrets are, but which ones affect _you."_

"And which ones,_di Angelo,"_ Thalia recuperated. "Would you say affect me?"

I raised my eyebrow. "Directly or indirectly?"

"Both."

I stared at her for a moment. "A fair amount," I finally said. "None of which you need to worry about yet."

"I'll be the judge of that," the Daughter of Zeus said coldly.

"Well, Thalia," I stared her dead in the eye. "The last time people had that freedom, the world ended," I leaned forward. "So tell me, what makes you think this time will be different?"

_"'Last time?'"_ She asked. "What do you mean 'last time?'"

I glanced at Percy and Annabeth, my eyes asking the silent question: _Should I tell them?_

They nodded encouragingly. I glanced at Bianca. She fidgeted with her hair, an old habit that's been around ever since I can remember—which, granted isn't very long. Will Bianca finally understand if I tell her? Will she look at me horrified, hug me, or neglect me? Will she quit the Hunt? Will she help me save the world? How would she feel about Hazel?

I gazed at Thalia, Zoe, and Grover. Should I tell them? Will they understand? I want to tell them. I don't want to lie any longer. But is it worth it? Will they listen to me? Will them knowing help the Gods understand?

I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself to speak the secret, the _poison_ that has plagued my tongue, only to be interrupted by a bright light engulfing the beach. We all winced and shielded our eyes, waiting for the light to die down.

A homeless man, aka Apollo, cheekily smiled at us. "I see you kids have managed to capture Old Man Nerseus. Congrats! I've heard you guys need to travel West but you don't have any money. I think I can help with that," seven train tickets materialized in his hand. He handed each of us one."A train is already waiting in the station for you. Train leaves at 2:00. Don't be late, and save my sister for me, will you?" Apollo made a point to leave, but stopped short when he saw me._ "You,"_he pointed at me with a gnarled finger. "are going to play an extremely important role in the future. It's a little cloudy and hard to tell, though I can see that much. I don't know what your task is, but you better complete it, or the heroes of the future won't succeed. You got a lot to live up to, kid. Don't blow it."

With that little pep talk, Apollo disappeared in a blinding flash of light, leaving behind the smell of sunshine in his wake, oddly enough. After a moment of silence, Percy spoke and I noticed a bit of ketchup around the corner of his mouth. "So, does anybody know what the 'bane of Olympus' is?"


	26. Chapter 23:

A/N:

Hey guys,

This chapter is also one of my favorites. I'm curious to see your reactions on this chapter. Let me know what you think in the reviews.

-Echo

Chapter 23: the Sun, the Lighthouse, and the Stormy Sea

"The bane of Olympus? I'm not sure," Annabeth said, frowning in contemplation.

"So much for getting an edge on this quest! The Old Man of the Sea didn't even tell us anything!" Thalia exclaimed heatedly. "It was just a big waste of time! We're still no closer to saving Artemis!"

I began to twist my finger. "What did he say exactly? I might be able to help."

Thalia turned to me. "Oh, you won't be helping anybody. Not until you explain to us what the Hades is going on!"

I raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't curse his name if I were you. It tends to irritate him more than he already is."

"I don't give a crap what irritates Hades! Now tell me what you're hiding or I will electrocute you, Demon Boy!" Stray volts of electricity crackled along her fists.

I chuckled darkly. "You act as if I'm afraid of a couple jolts, Sparky. I've been through much worse," I said. I shrugged. "If you want to know the knowledge I possess, I suggest you cool down that temper of yours first. Or you won't be able to think clearly."

"I won't be told what I can and can't do by a 10 year old," Thalia said, glaring at me like there's no tomorrow.

I decided to pull the card. "Well, consider yourself being told off by an 80 year old then," I patted her on the shoulder. I turned to Percy and Annabeth. "I believe we have a train to catch?"

"I do believe so, yes," Annabeth replied quite casually.

Percy smacked his hand across his forehead. He looked to be contemplating his life choices, if the expression written all over his face was anything to go by. The body language could have been written in bold lettering and it wouldn't have made a difference: Why do I have to deal with this nonsense?

I smirked smugly as I watched a cherry-faced Thalia sputter complete gibberish. "What? how does that even—I don't—How did we skip from 10 to 80? Since when are you—Annabeth, are you hearing this?"

"Yeah, I'm really confused," Grover admitted. "I think Nico's confused too."

"I warned thou the boy has demon powers! He is not who he says he is! We mustn't trust him!" Zoe exclaimed.

"Hold up, time out!" Bianca made a time out gesture with her hands. She brought her fingers to the bridge of her nose and sighed. She turned to me. "Nico, you are not 80 years old. You don't have any secrets, you don't know everything, and you definitely don't have any creepy demon powers! But most of all, we are most certainly not children of Hades!" She hid her face in her delicate, bony hands. "Ever since Dr. Thorn's attack, I have been really worried about you, Nico. I mean, you just aren't yourself anymore! What happened to you?! It's like you changed all of the sudden! What happened to my little brother?"

"You've got a lot of nerve calling me your little brother after what you just did," I said, my voice dangerously quiet. The shadows retreated from their hiding places and collected at my feet, perhaps to somehow shield me from getting hurt again. I took a deep breath to calm the raging fire that's gradually rising. "You've got a lot of nerve to claim all of those things about me when you don't even know the whole story," I finally met her eyes. "You've got a lot of nerve to assume who our parentage, when you can't even remember."

Bianca frowned. "Who said anything about remembering? I can remember just fine."

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow. "What was our mother's name? Where were we born? What happened to our mother?" Bianca looked overwhelmed by the questions being thrown at her, but I wasn't finished just yet. "Has it ever occurred to you that there are tons and tons of blank gaps—holes in our lives that have been festering in our minds ever since we got out of the casino? Has the various 'new' structures out in Washington ever stuck out to you? Did the lawyer really give any sort of explanation whatsoever? Bianca, come on! Surely you've noticed it too!"

"Noticed what?"

"Bia," I placed a still hand on her shaking one and spoke as gently as I could to break the news. "There's a reason why we can't recall what happened a year ago. What… what we thought was a year ago."

"'What we thought?'" Bianca asked incredulously. "What is that supposed to mean?"

I stared forlornly at Bianca, debating whether or not I should say it. Is it really worth it? Bianca stared back at me with black, troubled eyes. Though there was an innocence to them, a certain spark of hope that shone through the darkness, like a lighthouse amidst a stormy sea. I finally understood why our father erased the horrid memory of our mother's death from our minds. He wanted to keep that spark of innocence alive; that childlike wonder that disappears as time, age, and experience dims the light of the tower. It seems Hades found a way to preserve that spark; to freeze it, contain it, and hide it away from the rest of the cruel world we would soon have to endure. Is the knowledge, the pain, the burden of knowing what a monster those above us can truly be really worth it to know? At the expense of perishing innocence? At the expense of blissful ignorance? Then again, is ignorance really all that bliss?

I recalled the time my light went out. When the lighthouse of my innocence could no longer guide the ship of my heart back home through the dark, stormy sea of my life. It was the night Percy Jackson broke the news of Bianca's death, when the silver moon was high in the sky and a heavy misery seemed to linger in the cool midnight air. Then a thought occurred to me: My light went out long before that fateful day. It went out before I had the dream of my older sister dying and it went out before I experienced a dangerous encounter with the manticore, Dr. Thorn. No. My light was snuffed out nearly 70 years ago, when life was simpler—tragically simpler—but simpler all the same. When the sounds of bombs going off in the distance was a common occurrence, and when uneasiness and fear corrupted the once cheerfully exuberant air. Yet, I recalled the sunlight always sparkling off of the deep, hypnotizing canal, reminding the people of Venice that tomorrow is a new day. At least, that's the little details I can scarcely remember. I pictured the bustling hotel full of oblivious guests, the oblivious raven-haired children playing a game of tag around a fancy pillar, and the two lovers seated against the wall, the only ones well aware of the angry thunderstorm brewing in Washington from above...

I made a split-second decision. "We need to get going," I said quietly, tearing my eyes away from Bianca's pleading ones. "Or we're going to miss the train."

Without another word I walked away to the general direction of the train station, not even bothering to check if the others followed. I stuffed my hands in the soft pockets of Percy's jacket. I really should give it back to him. Though the oversized coat was a comfort of sorts, a way to escape the pressures and stress of trying to save the unsuspecting world from a very suspecting villain. I wonder if I snuggle deep enough into the jacket, can I hide away from all of my troubles? I doubt it. It would be like a child playing a game of hide-and-go-seek, thinking just because they can't see the seeker, the seeker can't see them either. It was foolish to even think of attempting such a fruitless task.

I heard footsteps gradually inching closer to me. I looked up. Annabeth joined me, keeping up with my rapid pace. She didn't talk and I didn't comment. The silence stretched for a vast amount of time, though it was far from deafening. It was the kind of silence that was comforting, a presence that was there but only sensed, nothing more. It was the kind of comfort that could be shattered with the utterance of a single word. For better or for worse, I couldn't be sure.

A couple of minutes later, an overly cheery clerk ripped off the perforation of the tickets and handed them back to us. Only for us to give it to an elderly man that looked to be having no interest in being here. I could relate. We boarded the train and all found seats. As expected, Thalia and Grover kept their distance in the corner booth, with Zoe and Bianca across the aisle from them, and Percy, Annabeth, and I two booths up. Their piercing glares on the back of my head didn't escape me.

I thought about telling the crew of my time traveling endeavors, but chose against it. Like the many phases of the moon, my ups and downs come and go. The thought of security in trust has long since been replaced by skepticism and exhaustion, and my only current motivation was to take another nap. At this point, I accepted the fact that there's no way to escape the nightmares—the darkness and death of my life playing over and over again, each time with more clarity. I steeled myself for another vivid dream and closed my eyes, snuggling into the oversized jacket and falling asleep to the consistent beating of the train tracks.

I opened my eyes to the scent of a familiar, yet foriegn smell: Coffee, hot chocolate, and a touch of ripe strawberry jam on fette biscottate. Breakfast.

Home.

I sat up and yawned, stretching like a cat along the olive green silk bed sheets. I looked around amazed. I was in a small bedroom with off-white colored walls, a wooden desk to the right of me with what looked like a sketchbook on it, a matching wooden dresser next to an oak wood door, and a wooden shelf was situated against the wall right next to the desk. The room was simple enough, yet had a certain old-fashioned elegance. Books were scattered along the shelves and I could make a few titles: The Little Prince, The Wind on the Moon, Fog Magic, Sherlock Holmes, and an Atlas Map book lined neatly on the shelves.

I glanced at the bedside table. A framed picture stared back at me next to a small lamp. I studied the photo. It was black and white and showed a small family of four, all with stoic faces encaptured in the lenses. A beautiful woman in a fancy satin dress, a man in a sharp, black suit, a young girl in a fancy dress, and a younger boy with bright mischievous eyes in an uncomfortable looking button-up shirt. I immediately recognized the people in the photo. My mother, my father, Bianca, and me. I tried to pick it up, but my body rejected the thought and made its way out of bed, completely disregarding my brain.

I quickly realized I'm not in control of my body.

I yawned a second time and slipped on some slippers before making my way out of the bedroom door, which was illuminated by golden light streaming through the window. I followed the inviting smell of breakfast to the kitchen table, only to find a woman humming and preparing food. She turned around and Maria di Angelo smiled at me. "Buongiorno, amore mio. How did you sleep?"

I smiled and dashed to the nearest seat, awaiting my breakfast. "Bene," I replied. It took me a second to register the fact that I'm speaking in perfect Italian. "I read a really interesting chapter about the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes. That man is truly a genius! I hope someday I can be half as smart as him!"

My mother laughed lyrically. "Amore mio, you are already a genius," she held up a plate of fette biscottate, a cup of hot chocolate, and some fresh fruit. "Here, I made you breakfast."

She placed the plate in front of me and I dug in. I picked up a strawberry and, for some weird reason, dipped it in my hot chocolate. It was, oddly enough, delicious, like chocolate covered strawberries except warm instead of cold. I downed the hot cocoa in record time, inhaling the scent of chocolate, cinnamon, and a touch of strawberry before politely asking for more. I scarfed down the fette biscottate and drank my second cup of chocolate, and asked for another. My mother laughed again. "I think you've had enough hot chocolate for today," she said.

A sleepy Bianca made her way to the kitchen and she too downed her fair share of hot cocoa. Our mother turned to us with scrunched eyebrows and a pained look on her face. "I have some good and bad news. Your father is accompanying us while we…" The words seemed to get caught in her throat. "While we move to America," she informed us.

"We… We are leaving Italy? We are leaving our home?" Bianca whispered with wide, teary eyes.

"No!" I shouted. "No, we aren't! Italy is our home! We can't just leave it! You can go and tell Papi we are staying!" I stormed into my room, angrily wiping the tears streaming down my face, and slamming the door shut. Seriously what is wrong with me? Why am I acting like a 2 year old?

I practically flung myself into my desk chair and fished for a pencil in my drawer. When I found one, I opened the sketchbook to a blank page and began to draw. Surprisingly, the pencils strokes ran lightly along the paper despite my foul mood. At first, the lines seemed to be randomly placed, some strokes here and some strokes there. Then I began to see the connection. I saw the way the mediums blended into one coherent shape, the way the soft strokes of my pencil complemented the hard edges, and the way the various shadows casted at one particular angle shaded what looked to be a bustling street. I blended and shaded, leaving intricate and life-like details behind. I stopped to inspect my work.

A sketch of the Venacian Canal laid before me. After making a few adjustments, a stray line here or too dark of a shade there, I took out my colored pencils.

The colors spilled out of the wooden box and flooded my otherwise bland-looking desk. I organized the colors into hues and shades respectively. I picked up maroon red and dark red before coloring in the red bricks, using the dark red to cast shadows or shade in off-colored clay. I used various shades of brown and all the vibrant colors of the rainbow to color in the street vendors, their ripen fruits, tomatoes, and fresh bread. I colored in the bridge and boats with a dark oak brown, making sure to use black to highlight the way the sun was facing the bridge. My hand hovered over the sea of blue before picking out a few select colors. An ocean blue, cobalt, royal purple, and sea-green. I blended all of the colors in, oblivious of the importance two of those shades would soon hold. I began creating the canal. I grabbed a rather bright yellow and incorporated it into the mix to depict the light reflecting off of the water. I grabbed a sunny yellow, sky blue, pale pink, deep purple, and ivory to paint the dawning sky.

A knock sounded from the other side of my door. "Come in," I answered, still in a daze.

My mother opened the door with a calm expression on her face. She hovered over me, looking impressed. "Very realistic," she commented off-handedly. "We need to get you in an art school as soon as possible. Perhaps there are good art schools in America?"

"I prefer the art schools in Italy," I quipped.

A tired sigh escaped my mother's lips. "Nico, I know you do not like this idea. But it is not safe for us here anymore. The world is changing and we must be relentless enough to change with it. Or this war will destroy us all."

I frowned. I dropped the colored pencil and spun my chair around to face her. "Mama, why do we have to go through this war?" I asked, already knowing the answer, yet still hoping for another. "Why do men have to fight over power?" I sat on my bed. "Why can't we all just get along? We are all human beings, we just come from different places."

"Oh, amore mio, how I wish others could see through your eyes. I believe we all need a new perspective," Mama admitted with dark, tired eyes. "We have let greed and power get the better of us, and the corruption is only festering. That is why we must move away to America," she said as she sat down next to me. "It is the only place that has retained its light, even through the dark shade of this war."

"But, Mama, Italy is our home! We can't just leave it!" I argued. "So what if men are greedy? That shouldn't mean we have to leave because of them! Besides, if we stay, maybe we can keep the corruption away from Italy."

A deep sadness seemed to take hold in her sharp eyes, a kind of misery I'm all too familiar with. "Nico, the corruption does not just spread physically, it spreads within us all," she said wisely.

She sighed again. "You must understand, Nico there is no light and dark. There is no black and white. Only the grey area. We are all capable of good and evil. But it is the side we give into—our darker selves—that truly makes us evil," my mother looked at me dead in the eye. "You must promise me that you will never give into the bitter lies wrapped in pretty words. That you will never kill in the name of peace and that you will always follow your heart—no one else's. Or you too will spread corruption and chaos will reign."

I nodded vigorously. "I promise," I said. Then a thought occurred to me. "Is that what happened with Germany? They listened to the pretty lies?" I whispered. "Is Germany evil now?"

"Not so," Mama answered. "Most of the people of Germany fall for the pretty lies because they need to believe in something good. They cannot stand the bitter truth that is right in front of them, a mistake that has been repeating for centuries."

"What is the bitter truth?" I asked innocently.

"We have no one to blame but ourselves," Mama replied thickly. "It is only with the help of those with the clearest of consciousness that the world can be led out of the dark. They are the saviors who challenge the pretty lies with the undenying light of truth."

"Who will be the saviors?"

"Those who truly believe in the power of order and refuse to give into the temptations of chaos will ultimately save us all," she answered. Some knowing force seemed to sparkle in her dark eyes. A glint of gold around my mother's neck caught my attention, something I've never noticed before. It was a pendant with a strange, unique shape.

I stared at the necklace curiously. Mama noticed. "Ah, you are curious about my necklace?" She unclamped the chain and showed it to me. "This is a symbol of a force greater than ourselves," she said. I studied the pendant. It was a circle with a cross running down the bottom of it. An invisible power seemed to radiate off of it.

"What does it mean?"

"It means you and Bianca will have more than one home," she answered cryptically.

I frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You must understand, amore mio, that our home is not Italy. It is not this house," she gestured all around us. "and it is not even America. Home is not a physical place. It is our family and the love that we share for each other. Home is something no war can take from us."

"But Italy is—" Mama interrupted me.

"A place we merely live in," she stated. "Nothing more."

"So… It doesn't matter where we go? As long as we are together?" I asked.

Mama smiled. "Exactly. No matter where we move, the most important thing is _to stay together," _She pressed a soft kiss on my forehead and her strawberry scented hair tickled my face."You and your sister will change the world someday," she whispered. "I am certain of it."

"In a good or bad way?" I asked, snuggling into her hug.

"Good," she answered unwaveringly. "You will change the world for the better," she paused and smiled coyly. "Now, I think it's time to make lunch."

"Lunch?" I asked incredulously. "What happened to morning?"

My mother's laugh was musical. "You were in your room for quite awhile, amore mio. Come, help me make some food," she said. "I need my little chef's food tasting expertise."

I laughed, and the sound felt right on my lips. "Coming, Mama."

My eyes snapped open as I jolted awake. My chest rose and fell quickly as I looked around. The sky was a deep shade of blue, almost black. I could barely see the flurries decorating the frosty window. Everyone in the train was asleep and snoring softly. I shifted on something pointy and quickly recognized it was a shoulder. It suddenly occurred to me that I fell asleep on Annabeth. She stirred and said, "Nico?"

"I saw her, Annie. I saw my mom," I whispered quietly.

She stared at me for a moment then she hugged me closer. "Tell me what happened."

I quietly recounted the memory I thought was lost in the river. The snow drifted down outside and all the tiny flakes slowly but surely melted when they hit the glass. As the snowflakes became droplets, I realized that each one could represent the innocence of a person's life. All the tiny, unique branches that shrouded the world in white slowly melt, as all eyes slowly open to see the world for what it truly is. A cruel, cruel world wrapped in all the prettiest colors, all the prettiest lies. The blame breezes along the wind through each country, across every sea, but where does it come from? Ourselves. We are to blame.

My mother understood that. She was one of the few with the clearest of consciousnesses who had the capacity to not only see the world, but to accept it. That takes strength. To accept such faults and embrace them? That takes courage. My mother saw the darkness in every heart, the corruption in every soul, and the chaos connecting us all. She saw it and found the solution. Not just any solution. She found the right one. She knew those who had the highest moral standards could save this world from itself.

I wonder if deep down, I knew that too, even when I forgot everything of my mother. I wonder if my heart knew it, for my mind was wiped clean. Can I carry on her lesson? Can I save this world from itself? Can I purge it of chaos and corruption? Will I ever find my second home?

As Annabeth hugged me, I realized I already found my second home. I thought about the mysterious amulets glinting in the sun around the mysterious boy and girl's necks. Around my mother's.

The sun will rise again.

I have an inkling feeling there was more meaning to that statement than a literal sense. So that leaves the question: What are my dreams trying to tell me?

I looked out the window at the inky darkness surrounding us. I swear I can see a tinge of red gathering in the clouds high above. Perhaps a storm is coming.

Those who truly believe in the power of order and refuse to give into the temptations of chaos will ultimately save us all, my mother's voice echoed in my skull.

The sun will rise again.

The real question is: Where did the sun go, and who's going to bring it back?


	27. Chapter 24:

Chapter 24: When Pigs Fly

When most people step off the train and onto the platform, they expect someone to be waiting for them. A relative, perhaps? Or maybe a friend, who knows? Either way, whoever's waiting for you obviously gives good, welcoming company. This was not, however, the case for the two hunters, three campers, and satyr stepping off the platform. Typically when someone is waiting for us, it's not a _someone_ more so than _something_, and 90% of the time you can expect lethal, blood thirsty company. The small 10% chance is an annoying god or goddess out to get you.

And of course, with our luck, the occasion proved to be the former.

Which probably explains why we are currently running for our lives from the lethal skeleton warriors holding guns. I can _definitely_ confirm they don't shoot rubber bullets.

"There!" Annabeth pointed to the hole-in-the-wall town just a couple of yards across from us. We hurried down a couple of concrete steps, slid down the rusty railings, and past a few benches like our lives depended on it, which unfortunately is no exaggeration. The bullets clinked of the sidewalks and rained down with the sounds of thunder. We zigzagged to throw off the targets on our backs and made a break for it into town. Where are we? I didn't have time to check the sign.

Soon the sounds of clattering footsteps faded into the distance. The blood rushing in my ears ceased to a low throb and my racing heart rate slowed to a consistent thump. We all hurried into a nearby cafe with a glowing open sign and a bell above the door rang. I looked around.

We were in an ordinary coffee shop with small wooden tables and chairs lining the walls, various coffee makers steaming behind the counters, mouth-watering pastries of all colors and flavors displayed leisurely behind curved glass, a fire danced in the corner casting firelight all around, and the invigorating smell of coffee and mochas lingering in the cozy atmosphere.

"Um, where are we exactly?" Grover asked.

"Some town in New Mexico," Annabeth immediately answered.

"Oh, Awesome," Thalia said sarcastically. "That's only what? 2,000 miles away or so? We're right on track!"

"The Winter Solstice is only three days away. We still have time. We just need to keep moving," Annabeth advised.

"'Still have time' is not good enough. If we are to save my goddess, we must leave now!" Zoe exclaimed.

"Take a chill pill, Zoe! We can't just save her overnight!" Thalia argued.

"Right," I said irritably. I was already fed up with their bickering. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to take advantage of this precious break time and buy myself a nice cup of hot cocoa," I turned to Bianca. "Coming?"

Bianca hesitated for a moment. Finally, with a guarded expression she said, "I could use a cup of hot cocoa."

"Coffee sounds good right about now," Percy chimed in.

Annabeth frowned. "Do we have enough money?"

"Who needs money when Demon Boy can just light fires with his hands and make food appear out of thin air?" Thalia turned to me. "After all, he must have a lot of tricks up his sleeve if he can do that."

I glared menacingly. "It doesn't work like that, you uncultured swine!" I informed her coldly. "Coffee isn't a meal, it's a beverage."

"What did you just call me?" The Daughter of Zeus demanded.

"Okay!" Annabeth, the now peacekeeper of our group said. "I think we could all use a nice cup of caffeine. Bianca," She regarded my sister. "do we have enough money to buy a few cups of coffee and hot chocolate?"

Bianca took out the money envelope and counted up the dollars. "Should be good for at most two rounds of coffee," she said. She handed the money envelope to Annabeth to keep.

We all got in line and paid for the warm beverages. Everyone, save for Bianca and I, ordered a coffee. We went outside once our orders were ready so we could all keep a lookout for our bony friends. I sucked down my hot chocolate pretty fast, my taste buds relishing the rich chocolatey taste and my stomach the warm fuzzy feeling.

Grover took a sip of his coffee, paused, and not two seconds later swooned. Percy and Annabeth had to catch him before he could fall in the snow. I came to the conclusion that he must really like coffee.

"Uh, G-Man? You okay?" Percy asked.

_"Pan,"_ the satyr managed to gasp. I frowned. My ADHD brain registered that as: Frying pan? In what scenario does Grover need a frying pan? The sensible part of my brain—which is slowly deteriorating—realized: Oh, wait! He means Pan as in the God of the Wild!

Oh, boy. Gotta love ADHD.

"Pan's presence!" Grover exclaimed breathlessly. "I felt it! His presence was here!"

"You felt his presence?" Annabeth inquired as she looked deep in thought.

"Oh, yeah. Cause' that's totally normal," Thalia said.

"When is _anything_ normal in our lives?" I asked no one in particular. "That's like calling bloodthirsty werewolves _puppies_. It just doesn't work that way."

Everyone looked at me, then looked away as if I didn't say anything.

"Okay," Percy said. "Grover? Explain."

Grover was about to say his verdict, but before he could, a shot rang out.

Thalia's eyes were wider than saucers. She cursed in Ancient Greek. "They found us!"

"Already?" Percy exclaimed.

"Run!" Annabeth cried. We made another break for it. The caffeine gave me an extra boost to my otherwise exhausted body. Like hot chocolate energy.

Choco-energy.

The skeletons were, of course, right on our tails. Their bony footsteps proved to be marvelous motivation. More shots rang out as we dashed through the nearly empty town. Shattering glass exploded around us like crystal stars. Startled, the pedestrians pressed themselves to the store bricks with their hands over their heads, thinking the raining bullets was just typical police business. They have no idea.

"Guys!" Grover exclaimed breathlessly. "There's something else here! We need to get to it!"

"We have no time for thy shenanigans, satyr!" Zoe shouted. "Nothing is here for us except led bullets aimed for our hearts!"

"Grover has a point, Zoe!" Bianca surprisingly was the one to retort. "If he was able to feel this Pan guy's presence, who's to say there's nothing else here that might help us?"

"The satyr is nothing short of delusional—"

"Hey! I'm not delusional!"

"And thy _brother_ is secretly a demon in disguise!" Zoe claimed.

I rolled my eyes. "I haven't the time nor the energy to tell you how utterly _stupid_ that sounds, you diabolical muppet!" I shouted from the other side of our mini-marathon we were running through.

"Thou take that back, _boy!" _

"Make me!"

"Why, thou little—"

Zoe would've said more if it weren't for the bullet shot only a centimeter from her head. We shut our mouths after that.

"Uh, guys?" Percy pointed up ahead. "Dead end!"

He's right. We're surrounded. The skeleton warriors, about twenty of them, all circled around us. They all pointed their guns at our hearts, their hollow eyes boring into our souls. My eyes searched desperately for an opening—the perfect exit to get out of harm's way. With all of their guns pointing at us, there's no way we can make an escape without getting hurt, as bullets are typically faster than demigod reflexes. Even if we duck as the bullets come flying in, there's no way we would go out unscathered, especially with the tiny amount of room we have in the skeletal circle. After a moment of deduction, I concluded we were outnumbered, outmatched, and _very_ much dead.

A surge of anger flooded through me. Who do these _unos idiotas_ think they are cruising through town, shooting bullet after bullet at us? I came here for a reason and I am not about to quit all because twenty some grave crashers want to kill us. If they want a battle, I will gladly give them one.

I felt the familiar sensation of fire coursing through my veins. I raised my hand at the ready and narrowed my eyes at the nearest target. My anger must have been rolling off of me in waves, because my friends took one glance at me before backing up behind me. I didn't think much of it.

"Merry Christmas, you degenerative numbskulls!" I cried. I snapped my fingers and three skeleton warriors combusted into Greek Fire, disintegrating into ashes until there was nothing left. The remaining skeleton warriors turned their heads to their fallen comrades before turning their attention back on us. Well, I think it's safe to say their buddies aren't coming back.

The adrenaline left me just as the fatigue took hold. I stumbled and collapsed into Annabeth's waiting arms.

"Nico!"

I vaguely recalled falling into Reyna's arms plenty of times too when I ran out of energy after an exhausting jump. Now all of that seemed like a world away.

My eyes widened as the skeleton warriors in the front aimed and fired straight for me. I braced myself for the pain, but the bullets never hit. I stared in horror at Percy, who had taken the blow for Annabeth and I.

"Bullet proof jacket?" I asked hesitantly when the Son of Posiedon showed no signs of falling over.

"Bullet proof jacket," he answered just as shakily.

And that's when all hell broke loose.

Quite literally.

Bianca and Thalia took the first dive at the skeletons, pulling out a spear and a hunting knife and going to town. Percy, Grover, and Zoe followed their lead, they too pulling out their weapons and slicing and dicing.

Annabeth set me gently on the ground. She kneeled down in front of me. "Stay down and out of sight."

I nodded tiredly. "Okay."

She unsheathed her dagger and joined the others in the fight. Whenever a skeleton warrior would come too close, I would slice its leg bones to knock it off balance and away from me.

Bianca stabbed one skeleton in the rib cage. The bony psycho was engulfed in raging orange flames before blowing away like dust bunnies in the wind. And she says she isn't a daughter of Hades. I almost shook my head.

Everybody turned to her with the same question written on their faces: _How did you do that?_

"I don't know how I did that," Bianca admitted breathlessly.

Well, it's a good thing I do.

"Where did you stab it?" Annabeth asked.

"Somewhere near the rib cage, I think."

Everyone besides Grover and I tried to stab the skeleton warriors in the rib cage, but to no avail. It takes a certain kind of person to be able to combust a skeleton into flames, and I'm sorry to say that they just aren't one of those people.

Then again, Leo Valdez is. So, maybe not _that_ sorry.

"Um, guys? There's something else here!" Grover yelled.

"Shut up and blow your reed pipes, Goat Boy!" Thalia responded as she hacked at the same skeleton for the third time.

"Seriously, I think there's a—"

Grover was interrupted by a mighty roar—or should I say whine? I frowned. That sounds like… like a giant wild pig. Why is there is a giant wild pig?

The sound reverberated from above. We all looked up. High and majestic in the sky, a humongous boar glided through the air. It's tusks glinted like a halo in the white sun and it's feathery wings could be mistaken for fluffy white clouds.

I took this as a sign. Someone is finally helping us instead of trying to kill us! Then I realized gods don't do that. I squinted against the blinding sun to get a better look at which direction the boar is flying to. As the cursed pig descended lower in _our_ direction, it suddenly occurred to me just how screwed we actually are.

"Everyone scram!" Percy cried.

Thank the Gods the skeleton warriors didn't understand us or a very different story would have unfolded. Without another word we scrambled out of there. We shoved past the skeleton warriors just in time to see the giant boar crash land into our bony friends and scatter their limbs every which way like bowling pins. We all sighed in relief. They won't be reforming for a while.

Then the boar looked at us.

You don't have to be a child of Athena to know we're the next targets.

We ran for our lives. The hunters have become the hunted.

Annabeth, Grover, Bianca, and Zoe all went in one direction while Thalia, Percy, and I headed in the other. The boar decided to go after three children of the big three instead of one. Us. We realized all too late what lies in the direction we're running in: A cliff.

I racked my brain for the quickest, least harmful way to get down the cliff. We can try rolling, but I doubt we could outroll a freaking 600 pound boar trying to kill us, so that's out of the question. Then a thought occurred to me: What better way to get down a steep mountain then to sled down? But where are we going to get a—

Thalia's silver bracelet caught my eye.

"Thalia, I need you to activate your shield so we can use it as a sled to get down the mountain," I said.

We stopped on the edge of the cliff to catch our breath. "Are you crazy? You want us to go _down_ the mountain?"

"Well, seeing as there's no other way to go, I don't think we have other options."

"It's the _only_ way!" Percy chimed in. "Come on, Pinecone Face, just do it!"

"Why can't Percy use his shield?" Thalia asked, her eyes wide and panicked.

The squeals and thumps of heavy footsteps came closer and closer. Who knew squeals could be so terrifying?

"Percy's shield is too small," I answered matter-of-fact. "Your's is the perfect size."

"I—I can't!"

The squeals grew increasingly louder.

Why is Thalia acting like this? Then it hit me.

Heights.

I have to convince her like our lives depend on it—which they do.

"Thalia," I grabbed her shoulders. "I know you're scared. I am too. But being a demigod isn't about being fearless. It's about stepping up and facing those fears, no matter how impossible they may seem. You can do this!"

I stared at her dead in the eyes and for the first time ever, I saw hesitation and fear. She swallowed and nodded. "Alright, I'll do it."

She clicked her bracelet and the face of Medusa jutted to life. She threw down the shield with ferocity. "Hop on."

The giant hog charged for us as we sat on the shield. "Let's go! Let's go!" Percy screamed. We all held on for dear life as Thalia pushed the shield forward, and the next thing we know we're racing down the incredibly steep hill.

As the trees passed us by at what felt like 50 miles per hour, we screamed like there was no tomorrow, which could very well be true with our current predicament. I death gripped Percy's shoulders while he death gripped Thalia's shoulders. Thalia—bless her quick thinking—used her spear to steer and maneuver away from the trunks and rocks scattered along the mountain.

The wild boar followed closely behind.

The gigantic pig skeeted along the ice at break-neck speed, rolling and tumbling down the mountain like those boulders in that movie I watched once with Thalia and Percy, _Indiana Jones_. (Long story, something about educating me on pop culture.) Our screams synchronized somewhere in the middle of the mountain and only grew louder as we descended. Snow blasted in our faces, eyes, and open mouths. We passed a particularly steep part of the hill and flew off the ground for a few seconds.

Finally, after what seemed like a million years, our "sled" came to a slow stop. Without a word, we scrambled off the shield and ran for our lives. The wild boar crashed landed with a huge thump. We turned around.

The manic pig squealed and whined as it tried to get its little hind legs back up, but to no avail. It cried in defeat and gave in to its vertical challegeness.

As quick as lightning, Thalia lifted me up off my feet by my jacket collar and gave me a wicked glare. "How did you know I'm afraid of heights?" She demanded.

I met her eyes and refused to cower. "Your reaction when Apollo told you drive the magic school bus made it obvious enough," I replied evenly.

Thalia narrowed her electric eyes and leaned in. "I don't believe you."

Something inside me cracked. In one swift motion I grabbed her wrist and twisted, judo flipping her on the cold powdery snow. I kneed her in the chest and leaned in too. "I don't care."

Her eyes widened. "Nico, that's enough," Percy reprimanded sternly, but I wasn't finished yet.

"I am so done with everyone's crap! Especially yours," I said lowly. I took a deep breath to keep my anger under control. "Look, I know I seem pretty suspicious to you, but I have my reasons. Like you, I have some goals too. Though if you get in the way of those goals… if you put your hands on me again… I swear to all the Gods, Pinecone Face," a cold laugh escaped my lips. "You will get more than a judo flipping. This is my one and final warning. Don't cross me again or you will regret it."

I got up and held out my hand. Thalia stared at my outstretched hand for a moment before taking it and pulling herself up. Thalia regarded me with an unreadable expression. I figured this would probably be the moment I get clocked in the face or severely electrocuted, but to my surprise she merely said, "You got some moves, Demon Boy, I'll give you that. With time, you could earn my respect. In another universe, we might even be friends," she said. I couldn't help but smirk at the irony. In another universe, we're _cousins_. Thalia's face darkened. "But if you or Kelp Head tell _anyone_ my secret, including Annie, I will fry you like a chicken and throw your corpse in Mt. Vesuvius. You got me?"

"Yeah," I said. "I got you. As long as you don't cross me."

Thalia held out her hand to shake. "Consider it a deal."

We shook hands and turned to Percy questioningly.

Percy's eyes flickered between me and Thalia before he finally gave a thumbs up. "Well, I'm glad you two are getting along," He frowned a little. "A disaster even larger than what _I_ usually make could have been annoying to deal with."

Thalia and I glanced at each other before shrugging. "I mean, it could've gone worse," I said.

"Well, how are we going to get back up?" Percy asked no one in particular.

We looked at him, then at our soon-to-be-bacon friend.

"I think I have an idea," I proposed.

……

"THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA, DEMON BOY!!!" Thalia shrieked. I was too busy holding on for dear life on the huge freaking piggy to agree with her.

A pale Percy turned to me and nodded in agreement. I too nodded back. This was to be expected, of course. You don't tame a flying wild boar in a couple of minutes and expect the ride to go smoothly.

I squinted against the bright sun to spot our friends down below. (The partially human kind, not the skeletons.) I spotted a few shapes waving what looked to be tiny sticks. It took me a second to realize they're arms. "Down there," I pointed.

Percy leaned all of his weight down on the wild boar—which, granted wasn't very much compared to the pig—and somehow managed to guide the pig to the ground. When I say "guide it to the ground," I really mean _crash_ _land_ it to the ground.

We screamed the whole way down. It was like a terrifying roller coaster, except with no tracks.

"THIS… IS… THE WORST… PIGGY… BACK… RIDE… EVER!!" Percy screamed. Well, it's not my fault they listened to my idea.

The pig refused to descend any lower than a couple feet above ground, so we had to grab everyone with our shaking arms one by one while the flying boar was in motion. I can confirm from this experience that flying pigs are not as fun as they sound.

Grover gasped. "The Erymanthian Boar! So Pan _did_ send us a gift!"

"Alright, I'm just gonna say it. This is the _worst_ gift I've ever gotten, and I used to get empty beer bottles—courtesy of Smelly Gabe—for Christmas," Percy admitted.

"Where do thou think the Erymanthian Boar is heading?" Zoe asked.

"As long as it's West, I couldn't care less at the moment," Bianca said.

"You know what?" Annabeth asked. "Why don't we use this time to take a break and get off near some body of water when the boar starts heading another direction."

"Sounds like a good plan," Percy said. Without another word, he pulled up his hoodie and went right to sleep.

A/N:

Hey guys, sorry the update took so long. Life happens and so do migraines. Also note, I am not hating on Leo Valdez. I actually really like his character, but for the sake of the story, I felt the need to add in that little part. Also also note, this was more of a filler chapter. I'm building up for something _big. _Don't get too excited, but kind of excited? Anyway, another update will come soon.

-Echo


	28. Chapter 25:

Chapter 25: The Uncomfortable Truth

The Erymanthian Boar made a pit stop somewhere in Arizona, and when I say "pit stop," I mean the flying dodo dropped us like a sack of potatoes. Needless to say, I am not a happy camper.

We hiked about an hour after that, until we encountered an eerily familiar place that sent cold shivers down my spine: The junkyard of the Gods. I shook involuntarily, my eyes deep set on the celestial bronze mound in the distance.

Annabeth noticed. "Hey, Nico? Are you okay?" The others turned around to look at me. "Nico?" She asked again.

I didn't say anything. Instead my eyes drifted from the entrance of the junkyard, to Bianca, then to Percy. Annabeth's eyes widened as she connected the dots. "This is where it happened last time, isn't it?"

I paled considerably and slowly nodded. Annabeth and Percy paled too. Thalia frowned. "What are you guys talking about? What's going on?"

Percy, Annabeth, and I all had a silent conversation.

_You need to tell them, Nico,_ Annabeth glanced at a very confused looking Bianca. _Now more than ever. _

_No more secrets, Nico,_ Percy's eyes were pleading.

I nodded in agreement. _No more secrets._

My eyes searched for some twigs to make a fire. A couple of feet away I found a pile of dry wood next to a cactus. I turned to the questers. "I think it's time I've cleared the air."

Without another word I walked over to the wood and started to arrange it into a tent formation. Their footsteps were slow, reluctant, and nervous as they followed.

I didn't say anything for a long while as I tended to the fire. My eyes were fixed on the hypnotic, dancing emerald flames, but I could see their anxious glances at each other from out of the corner of my eye. I didn't care. The news I'm about to break to them is not something that can be said lightly, so I will gladly take my time to collect my thoughts.

Finally Zoe broke the silence. "What is it thou wish to inform us, _boy?"_

The twig I was using to tend the fire snapped clean in my hand.

_Whoops_.

I sighed in defeat and tossed it into the fire. My eyes narrowed and I suddenly became aware of my hand twisting my finger. I looked up and met their eyes. "I… I'm not what you think I am."

"What are you talking about?" Thalia demanded fiercely.

A wave of questions broke out like a shattering dam.

"What is the Demon saying? I warned everyone he is hiding something!"

"I think you're a little confused, Nico. Don't worry, we all have those moments."

"Nico, quit talking like that! I'm sorry, my little brother doesn't know what he's saying."

"Everyone needs to shut their face holes and listen!!" Percy roared. That did the trick. "Nico has every right to talk, and I think you should stick around and listen to what he has to say."

"Percy's right," Annabeth added. "What Nico is about to say will very well change the fate of the war as we know it. Including the world."

That shut everyone's face holes quick enough.

I decided to try a new approach as I lost my train of thought with all of the rude interruptions.

"Angel of the Fallen, you shall heed the call,

You shall use your gifts of shadow to prevent a squall,

In four years time the world shall rise anew,

Together you shall unite all half bloods and the Argo II,

You shall make a choice, both will cause unbearable pain, 

In order to end Mother Nature's eternal reign,

A hero shall make a promise as they take their last breath, 

To endure a fate far worse than death."

"Nico," Annabeth said quietly. "When did you receive this prophecy?"

"The first day I arrived at Camp Half Blood, I could feel something watching me from the attic upstairs. Next thing I know, I'm receiving my first prophecy," I recalled bitterly.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Percy asked. I was surprised to hear such concern in his voice.

I looked away. "It didn't seem important at the time. And when I was trying to tell you, I never got a chance."

_"'Didn't seem important?'" _Percy scoffed. _"'Never got a chance?'" _He shook his head. "You're twisting your finger again, which is a clear sign that you're hiding something. So tell me, what's the real reason you didn't say anything?"

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat. The real reason? I rather not admit the real reason.

"I didn't want to worry you with another prophecy," I lied.

"You're lying."

"The real reason is of no concern to you," I tried again.

"Nico, you told us your secret. You brought us into this. We're in this together now," Annabeth said irrefutably.

"Secret? What secret?" Bianca asked.

"I knew he was hiding something!" Thalia exclaimed. "He was acting strange on the train the other day."

"Boys," Zoe grumbled. "Never to be trusted."

"Guys, I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for this," Grover said.

"No explanation I'm about to tell you will be a good one," I confessed. "Any way you slice it, it all sounds pretty terrible. Though I guess that's to be expected, there's no way to really sugarcoat war."

"Nico, what are you trying to tell us?" Thalia asked. This time, I detected no malice in her voice. What I heard instead was an open view to the uncomfortable truth: _Fear. _

Thalia Grace, the bold Daughter of Zeus is afraid.

_Good._

Maybe if the Gods see their fiercest pawn is frightened, their priorities can be set straight in preparation for what's to come.

Maybe then their eyes will be clear enough to see the uncomfortable truth too.

I took a deep breath, taking my time to release it. "What I'm trying to say is… I'm a time traveler. I just came back from a _very_ messed up future. Four years from now, in fact. And this future is something _no one_ saw coming."

The whole desert seemed to be trapped in an invisible, silent void for a long moment. Fear, confusion, and every emotion in between circled around us tauntingly, daring us to cut the tension and accept the foreboding reality that's coming.

"Well, Demon Boy, I regret to inform you that I believe every word that's come out of that smart mouth of yours," Thalia admitted, cutting the tension with one clean, precise swing. "What I want to know is… just _how_ messed up is the future?"

This time, I was unable to hide the emotions I was feeling deep inside. The misery and hopelessness I felt back at the war is finally starting to catch up to me. Maybe it's for the best that I tell my story without the obscurity of an emotionless mask. Perhaps then it will give the questers every reason to take me seriously.

"Let's just say no one's going to get their happy ending if we don't do something about this," I said.

Everyone paled considerably. Somehow the light and warmth of the campfire didn't seem so comforting anymore. Now the emerald firelight was nothing short of eerie and sinister.

"So, you're really from the future?" Grover was surprisingly the one to ask. "Everything you said is true?"

I nodded. "Unfortunately."

"Time out," Bianca said as she made the universal _time out _motion with her hands. "Are you guys seriously believing this? Just like that?"

Zoe frowned. "Bianca's point proves to be valid. Where is the proof?"

Everyone glanced at me expectantly. I quickly schooled my features to mask the panic invading my senses. I was stupid enough to assume the other questers wouldn't need proof. Or at least, I was so wrapped up in the truth that I completely forgot about the proof. Either way, I don't have it.

And now I'm screwed.

I racked my brain for anything I could use as evidence, but at the moment, my thoughts were about a useful as a toaster oven. I stalled for time as I tended to the fire with a new stick, silently reviewing each profile I've gathered of everyone seated around the campfire.

What _can_ I use as proof?

I thought about saying something Bianca doesn't know about herself in hopes of proving a point that I'm from the future, but I realized that wouldn't really work as everyone would just assume she already told me. We are siblings after all.

Perhaps Grover? I could tell him the location of the Lord of the Wild, the god he and his kind have so desperately been searching for, though that probably wouldn't work either. Simply because the questers have no way of proving Pan is in the Labyrinth—that is, unless we delay the quest and go look for him, which would defeat the whole purpose of saving Artemis and ultimately proving to the Gods they need to start war preparations immediately.

I obviously can't say anything about Annabeth and Percy, especially because we've grown closer over the quest. If I said anything about them as evidence—like the scenario with Bianca—the questers would just assume Percy and Annabeth told me ahead of time.

Maybe Thalia? I could pull a risky move and inform her that her brother is still alive, but is it really worth it? If anything, that would just make things more complicated, especially because she would insist a location, definitely the proof that her brother is even alive, and she would certainly demand an explanation on how I know about Jason in the first place. Not to mention, I would have to explain to Thalia why her and her brother were separated at all.

What about Zoe? What secrets do I know about her?

I recalled something Percy casually remarked once at his apartment on his birthday.

_"Apparently my sword used to belong to Hercules. You know, the Starbucks of Ancient Greece?"_ I remember him saying in between bites of blue birthday cake. _"I had a dream about it once. Did you know Zoe Nightshade used to be a Hesperide? In the dream, Zoe helped Hercules deceive Atlas and retrieve one of Hera's golden apples as a quest. She took off her hairpin, gave it to Hercules, and it turned into Anaklusmos."_

Wait… I can use that.

I turned to Percy with new-found confidence. "Percy, why don't you ask Zoe how Anaklusmos came to be," I suggested calmly.

Percy frowned in confusion and stared at Zoe questioningly. "You know where Riptide came from?"

Zoe began to visibly sweat. Suddenly her calm, collected attitude didn't look so good. "I… I do not know what thou art talking about," she lied not-so-smoothly.

I laughed coldly. "That's okay," I reassured everyone. "I can tell you why Zoe is familiar with Anaklusmos' history." I stood up and began to slowly walk around the lieutenant huntress in circles, trying to take on an intimidating demeanor in my otherwise small, harmless-looking 10 year old frame. "Like me, Zoe here has a big secret too. You see, Anaklusmos didn't always belong to Percy. Before Percy, the sword belonged to Hercules—or should I say _Heracles_. And before Heracles… Anaklusmos belonged to Zoe Nightshade, former Hesperide and lieutenant of Artemis," I said. Everyone stared in quiet shock at Zoe, but I wasn't quite finished yet. "When Zoe tended to the Garden of the Hesperides thousands of years ago, she had an encounter with Heracles. Charmed by him, she helped the hero in his quest to retrieve Hera's golden apples by helping him deceive the Titan who must uphold his curse of carrying the weight of the sky. In this encounter, she gave him her hairpin, which had the ability to turn into a sword. And not just any sword—it turned into Anaklusmos. I'm assuming Zoe was exiled for her treasonous help and later joined the Hunters as a result."

Zoe, cherry-faced and shaking with anger said, "Thou have no right to claim such things!"

"I have _every_ right to claim such things," I fired back.

"Thou art just like all of the _males_ I have encountered over the centuries," Zoe snapped venomously.

Something deep inside snapped. "I am _nothing_ like those self-centered, conniving toaster ovens!" I rebutted lowly. "Don't _ever_ compare me to them!"

"I have lived longer than thou, _boy_. I have seen history repeat itself in the most horrific of ways, I have witnessed the evolution of wicked men and their earnings, I have looked a thousand evils in the eye. I am _certain_ thou art a demon with many secrets and many gains. What makes thou think thou art different?"

"Because I'm the person who has been chosen to _prevent_ history from repeating itself! I'm no saint, but I'm not about to screw anyone over just for the fun of it!" I shook my head in disbelief. Here Zoe is claiming she's looked evil in the eyes. I scoffed. She has no clue what it's like, and if she does—she hasn't witnessed the worst of it. _"You _think you've looked evil in the eye? Try staring down _Mother Earth!_ Or better yet—the God residing in the deepest depths of the Underworld!" I took a shaky breath, trying and failing to rein in my skyrocketing emotional turmoil. Blood pounded through my ears as the rage, the misery, the _pain_ of war—of my life in _general_—rushed through my veins, pulsing in a thousand shades of scarlet. I looked away in shame. "You have no _idea_ what that feels like," I whispered dangerously low. "And… if I can help it, you will _never_ know what that feels like."

I mustered the last bit of my dignity and courage to meet their eyes. A few days ago, I thought I would never see those shades again—save for the darkest depths of my memories and the blackest shadows of my dreams. What I saw were identical ashen faces, all with the same startling degree of horrific fear stretched achingly in detail along their features.

"What… What has the future become?" Zoe whispered, terrified. "What horrific turn has the world taken that thou would look _them_ in the eyes?"

I sat back down in defeat. The rage and adrenaline finally left me, leaving nothing but a hollow shell of pain and misery in its place. "Do you really want to know?" I asked quietly. The once electrifying atmosphere around us suddenly felt ominous as the words tumbled out of my mouth. "Are you sure you want to bear such knowledge?"

"You're telling the truth, aren't you?" Bianca said. She seemed to be looking at me in a new light with her wide, black eyes.

All I could do was nod at that petrifying statement. Because—oh, Gods—this is the bitter reality we demigods are forced to live. This is the source of the uncomfortable truth. The uncertainty that we won't win this fight, that this is the end as we know it. Except now there will be no other chances to fix the mistakes we—_the Gods_—have made.

This _is_ the second chance.

Pain flooded Bianca's face. She shook her head sadly. "Gods, Nico. I—I had no idea! That explains why you've been acting so _off_ lately! And to think I was actually jealous of you! I've been an absolute brat while you—you've been trying to hold everything together this whole time!" She got up and ran over to me, smothering me in a hug. "I—I'm _so sorry!" _

For a moment I was debating whether or not I should return the hug. I was debating whether or not I should give into my fatal flaw.

Then a realization—a certain awareness I never knew was possible—occurred to me: Fatal flaws kill because everyone wants to choose the easy path, which is understandable as a demigod's life is full of struggle. In fact, the flaws of the Gods have ultimately killed off an entire race of godlings—their _children_—because the Gods simply couldn't accept the fact that a situation might actually be out of their control. I realized my fatal flaw of holding grudges may _seem_ like the easy path, but it isn't. For years, I couldn't bring myself to forgive Percy Jackson, my sister, or myself. As a result, I was drowning in my own misery.

But I'm done giving in. I'm done drowning. I won't give into my fatal flaw, not anymore.

I will fight and I will forgive.

Without a second thought, I wrapped my short skinny arms around my sister and buried my face in her strawberry-scented hair. I whispered the words I've been thinking—the words I _need_ to say. The words that might actually save my sister's life.

"I forgive you."

Bianca hugged me tighter.

After a couple of minutes we finally broke the hug. We turned to find everyone staring at us and smiling around the campfire, which I have to admit is a little creepy. Regardless, a crazy grin erupted on my face, because now I have people I can trust. My old friends have become my friends once again. Gods, that's so weird to think.

"We're with you, Demon Boy," Thalia said. This time, the nickname sounded affectionate. It no longer held the hostility I've grown accustomed to. "Whatever craziness you've gotten yourself into, we'll help you through it."

Annabeth smiled knowingly. "Told you they wouldn't judge."

Percy laughed. "When did you ever say that, Wise Girl?"

Annabeth shrugged. "I said it at some point."

Percy frowned in contemplation. "No you didn't."

She turned to him with a challenging expression on her face that meant business. "Wanna bet, Seaweed Brain?"

Percy's eyes widened. "No, thank you."

"Wow!" Grover exclaimed. "We're friends with an actual _time traveler! _How cool is _that?" _

"In all my years of life, I have never encountered a time traveler before," the lieutenant of Artemis admitted. "Thou art—thou art not like the other males I have seen before," she grudgingly said. I couldn't help but feel honored. I figured that would be the first and last time those words ever left her mouth though.

"We're in this together now,_fratello," _Bianca said undeniably as she ruffled my hair.

The thing is, I believe her. The future sucks, but maybe we can find some way to soften the blow together.

"Now," Annabeth addressed me directly. "You really need to tell them."

And tell them I did. Before I knew it, the words spilled out of my mouth like a waterfall, free and out in the open air. Now, depending on how open that air is, we could be in trouble. I really don't need anyone but the people around the campfire listening to my tragic story. I mentioned pretty much everything, save for the dangerous details like Jason's existence, the location of the Romans, my little sister's resurrection, and other details that weren't required to paint the foreboding picture looming just beyond the horizon.

Just as we were about to decipher the lines of the prophecy, a limousine parked in our line of sight just a few feet away from us. Something about the limousine made me sick to my stomach. A terrible feeling washed over me as I realized who exactly is in that vehicle.

Needless to say, we're in trouble.

A/N:

Hey peeps! Still building up to the something big. Well, actually, there's a lot of something bigs. A fair warning, it won't be for a couple of chapters so hang in there. Am I killing you with suspense? I sure hope so this is fun. Anyway, as always, I'll update soon!

-Echo


	29. Chapter 26:

Chapter 26: The Art of Persuasion

"Who would be riding a limousine through the _desert?"_ Bianca asked.

"The question you should really be asking is why are they _here?"_ I suggested bitterly.

Bianca looked like she was going to say something about my comment, but she lost her voice when a rather large figure stepped out of the limousine. I recognized Ares almost immediately. I indirectly met his Roman counterpart, Mars once too at a heated War Game. The God of War wore a black biker leather jacket—the kind that screams trouble—and heavy combat boots decorated with an assortment of knives. Strapped along his military vest and camouflage pants were various weapons, but the one that stuck out to me the most was the humongous rifle swung across his back. Ares lifted his shades leisurely to reveal molten fiery eyes, the color of boiling blood.

A surge of anger washed over me as my blood began to pound in my ears. Who does this guy think he is interrupting our quest? Here he is walking around in his shades while we're trying to save the world _again_. Why is he here? A thought occurred to me: This doesn't seem like me. As much as I don't like gods, I'm fairly certain I wouldn't go off the rails this quickly.

Is this what it feels like to be in the direct vicinity of Ares? I took a deep breath to temper my rage. I cannot afford to start a fight with the War God, especially with a deadline as dire as the Winter Solstice.

Ares raised an eyebrow and glanced at me curiously. What for, I have yet to find out. The War God didn't comment.

I glanced at the others to see how they were faring with Ares' fiery aura. Needless to say, they weren't handling their anger issues very well either. A few sparks of electricity crackled along Thalia's fists as she death glared Ares, Percy looked to be having an eternal war with himself as he gave his famous wolf glare, Annabeth fixed her cold calculating gaze on the war god as if expecting a fight, Grover looked tense as he stared at the new guest quietly, Zoe's eyes seemed to burn with a silent fury, and Bianca's nails dug through _both_ my jackets as she death gripped my shoulders. Perhaps she was using me as her rock to keep her from doing anything too impulsive.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here! Seven people on a five person quest!" Ares laughed mockingly. "You guys are in quite a predicament," the War God gazed directly at me. "Especially you."

I couldn't help but agree. The color drained from my face as I willed myself to stare Ares dead in the eye.

"What do you want, _Lord Ares?"_ Percy seemed to have trouble biting back an insult.

"What do I want?" Ares' expression darkened. "A rematch," he then shrugged. "But it's not about what I want. It's about what she wants. No, Sea Spawn, I won't be getting into any fights today. Not in the company of my lady."

"And who would that lady _be,_ Lord Ares?" Thalia questioned with gritted teeth.

"Aphrodite," Annabeth answered matter-of-fact. "The Goddess of Love and Beauty. She's in the limousine isn't she?"

"Well, if it isn't Owl Head's daughter! I see you, Sea Spawn, and Underwear are on another quest. Fancy seeing you again! Yes, my lovely girlfriend is in the limousine, and a pretty woman like her doesn't want to be kept waiting, so I'll get straight to the point: She wishes to see Sea Spawn and the newbie, Nico di Angelo."

I couldn't suppress a sigh. What is it with gods giving me strange pep talks lately? I thought that was supposed to happen for Percy since he is the Savior of Olympus, after all. I mean, I know I'm supposed to save civilization from itself, but _they don't know that._

Regardless, I'm going to have to meet the mother of Cupid when I could be using this precious time to brainstorm a way to save my sister. The last thing I need at the moment is love advice.

But of course, this is probably in Aphrodite's best interest, not my own.

I was about to make my way into the limousine, but Bianca interrupted the exchange. "Time out," she said. "I am not about to let my little brother get into a limousine without knowing the details. What is going on?" The daughter of Hades demanded as her grip on my shoulders tightened.

"If you're worried about your little brother and friend possibly experiencing gruesome deaths in that limousine, well… as long as they behave, the chat should—_unfortunately_—go smoothly," Ares informed us. His inferno shaded eyes locked on me, and for a moment I could imagine him brainstorming all the most terrifying ways war and bloodlust invented to kill me. He smirked, as if reading my thoughts—which I have no doubt he has. "Now, would you two care for some _persuasion,_ or are you punks gonna behave?"

Percy made a move to lunge at the aggravating God, but Annabeth held him back. "That's okay," she replied, her voice sharper and colder than a dagger of ice. "They can find their way just fine."

I grabbed Percy's forearm and dragged him like a hyperactive puppy on a leash into the limousine, careful to avoid Ares' vicinity. As my hand hovered over the door handle, I tried to shove the fact that I'm about to get love advice with my former crush into the locked space in the back of my mind. But I guess that's kind of hard to do when you're in the audience of a love goddess. I took a deep breath to steel my nerves and clicked the handle open, reluctantly stepping inside.

The inside of the limousine is more spacious than it seems. It was filled with coffee-colored leather seats, engraved glasses lining the inner compartments, tinted windows to hide away from the harsh sun, and a pungent flowery smell —roses, I think—filled the air. Right smack in the middle of the seating, Aphrodite was perched like a queen, regarding us curiously with her ever-changing eyes. She smiled flirtatiously and crossed her legs under her eye-catching ruby red dress.

"Ah, Percy Jackson! Nico di Angelo! Please," she gestured to the seats across from her. "Take a seat."

Percy and I exchanged identical looks of suspicion, but relented and stepped further inside.

"Close the door behind you," Aphrodite commanded in her airy, enchanting voice.

We closed the door.

Percy took the seat next to the door on the right side, while I sat on the left. I shifted all the way into the shady corner seat, the farthest seat the limousine could offer from the rest of the company. I dimly wondered if I could engulf myself in the shadows so much, Aphrodite might not notice me. No, that definitely wouldn't work.

I've learned from experience that love has a nasty way of rooting out even the most concealed people.

"Now," Aphrodite clapped her hands together anxiously. "Shall we begin our meeting?" She didn't wait for an answer as she turned to a sweating Percy. "Perseus, dear. Have you given any thought about your love life?"

Percy frowned and gave her a _Did you seriously just ask that?_ look. "Percy," the Son of Posiedon automatically corrected. "And no," he shook his head. "It's kind of hard to think about your love life when monsters are constantly trying to kill you, you know?"

"Oh, there's _always_ time to think about love," the goddess said. Suddenly her wavy auburn hair morphed into blond ringlets and her sparkling jade green eyes took on a lighter shade of steel grey. In mere seconds, the Goddess of Love morphed her features into that of a certain daughter of Athena. None other than Annabeth Chase.

If it wasn't obvious to Percy who his crush was then, it is now.

Percy's deep blush almost made me smirk, but then Aphrodite turned to me. I stared in alluring horror as her blond ringlets transformed into sun-kissed tresses. Her newly formed hair seemed to radiate a sunlight entirely of its own. Her freckled complexion took on a darker tone of bronze—the kind of surfer glow that's natural and can't be faked. I studied the high cheekbones, slightly upturned nose, and blinding smile that held more warmth and content than hot chocolate. But the feature that really stuck out to me were the eyes.

I gazed at the piercing irises, mesmerized as the blue shifted in a thousand shades of the bluest skies. I knew I could stare into these eyes for hours, forever wondering which shade would come next in the unpredictable pattern. With a start, I realized these were the kinds of eyes that could stare into _me_ too, slowly but surely crumbling down my impenetrable walls to read my every thought, emotion, and even my secrets. The thought of this was both terrifying and enthralling.

A couple things suddenly occurred to me: 1) I'm blushing with an open mouth that refuses to close. 2) I am having a mental breakdown as I'm staring at Aphrodite's suspiciously spot-on assessment of my friend, Will Solace. And 3) Percy and Aphrodite are watching me very closely.

In conclusion, I am more screwed than I was before. This is turning out to be exactly what I expected—an absolute train wreck.

No, this is even worse—it's a collision course.

I averted my gaze and attempted to collect myself. I slouched in the jacket, allowing its fuzzy fur to swallow me whole from this embarrassment, and fixing my eyes to the blank seat in front of me. I counted to ten, trying to calm myself down before I accidentally shadow travel to China… _again_. I could feel Percy's probing eyes on me, though I ignored it and refused to answer any silent questions he may have.

The less he knows, the better.

"Well, that was a _very_ illuminating exercise. I'm ecstatic with the results I received," Aphrodite gazed at us, this time through a rainbow of captivating kaleidoscope eyes. _Piper's_ eyes. She smiled coyly, as if she knew some life-changing thing that we didn't know about ourselves. "I must say, I'm rather intrigued by both of your tastes. It's very rare to find people who are attracted to their complete opposites, but for you two it works. Now," her demeanor switched from flirty to cunning in seconds. "do you two understand why you are here?"

Percy side-glanced me, but I didn't return the favor as I kept my gaze fixed firmly on the coffee brown leather seats. Percy gave up at the fruitless task of grasping my attention and turned back to Aphrodite, frowning. "No, should we?"

"Of course not. Love can be a complicated ordeal," I noticed Aphrodite glanced at me out of the corner of my eye when she said this. "However, I have decided to bring a… _unique_ aspect of yourselves into light. Something you would not have realized otherwise," the Goddess of Love's eyes shined deviously in the dim lighting. "You two have soulmates."

My eyes widened. I have a _soulmate? _

As if reading my mind, Aphrodite confirmed it with another sly smile. "Indeed, you do."

The better question is: _Who_ is my soulmate?

Percy frowned. "Okay, 1) that's a thing? 2) If what you're saying is true, then who are our soulmates?"

Aphrodite's laugh was tantalizing. "Well, not knowing is half the fun! And yes, soulmates do exist, but they are extremely rare. In fact, most people never meet their soulmates. However, you two have already met them."

"We've _met them?!" _Percy exclaimed.

"Indeed, you have," Aphrodite answered with a giggle.

Gods, as if my life couldn't be more complicated, now I have a soulmate I have to deal with. Is this Fate's way of punishing me for time traveling and screwing up the timeline? Probably, I wouldn't put it past them. Let it be known I did not time travel on purpose. I had no say in the matter.

A thought occurred to me. "Why us?" I backtracked a little, seeing as the Goddess and my cousin probably can't follow my train of thought. "I mean, I know most people haven't met their soulmates, but as a goddess, you went out of your way just to tell us something that probably wouldn't have mattered anyway? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you're here just to tell us we have soulmates. I think you have something to gain out of this."

Aphrodite raised a delicate eyebrow questioningly. "Well, you aren't wrong. Everyone on Olympus is expecting great things out of Perseus, but they don't know what to think of you, Nico di Angelo. I certainly didn't come here just to see the Son of Poseidon himself. So tell me," she leaned over in my direction almost threateningly. "what do I have to gain from this?"

What _does_ she have to gain from this? As I stared into the eyes of Love itself, I racked my brain for the answer. I thought about the conversation we had. I thought about what she said about our reactions to her "exercise."

Wait, that's it.

"The sport," I guessed. "You like to see reactions. You like to see change. Because in your eternally mundane, predictable life, mortals always end up surprising you. You just can't get enough of it. You play with people's lives, their perceptions, even their attraction. You fall in love with mortals, if only for a day because you long for romantic resumption. You long for change. Heroes are the perfect experiments. In some sick, twisted way, you enjoy watching our tragedies unfold—you enjoy _creating_ them. We have something that you can only yearn for."

"I'm a goddess, boy. What could you possibly have that I do not?" Aphrodite asked. The strange thing was, I only heard curiosity in her voice—no malice whatsoever. I found this reaction odd as I might as well be slapping her in the face at this point with what I'm getting to.

"Mortality," I replied. "Mortality is what makes our lives precious. It's what makes the moments count. But to you, it's what makes our love have substance. With this substance, it brings a new meaning to love. And with this new meaning of love comes a love story you've never heard of before. To you, Percy and I simply have love stories waiting to unfold."

"I must say, Nico di Angelo, I am impressed with your insightfulness. It's not everyday you come across someone who can guess the deepest desire of a goddess. Yes," the Love Goddess admitted. "I have a notion you and Perseus will have interesting love stories," she then shrugged at our callous reactions. "But really, can you blame me for wanting a new story to read? My relationship with Ares and all the come and go relationships with men can get so… _boring_. I'm always interested in new material to read. And you two… your stories will be interesting indeed."

"I disagree," I said coldly. "I refuse to have anything to do with romantic love. It's nothing but sweet poison that slowly kills you from the inside until there's nothing left. It's an illusion of security and stability that leaves your heart shattering from the inside out. I will be involved in no such thing."

"Oh, you and I both know that's not the whole story," Aphrodite said as she smirked knowingly. "However, I do admire you for moving on. That really was a hopeless crush. I can sense my son's… _persuasion_ on you. He can be a bit _much,_ but his intentions were in the right place."

I frowned. "He might as well have been mentally torturing me with what he did. I wouldn't exactly call his method 'a bit much,'" I said coldly.

"Love can take many forms, Nico. There is no easy path. Although some forms can be cruel and heart rending, there is no denying that you can learn from every heartbreak and mistake you make or experience. Love is a lesson that must be taught one way or another. And you, Nico di Angelo, still have a lot to learn."

I death glared her in response, testing my boundaries to see how far I could go before Aphrodite smites me. Deep down, I knew she was right. I couldn't ignore love then, and I doubt I can ignore it now. Whatever the future may hold, I can almost guarantee the biggest challenge will involve some form of romantic love—something I think no one, not even a child of Aphrodite can be ready for.

Percy, who has been silently watching the exchange unfold, said, "So, I'm guessing you aren't going to tell us what you have in mind for our love lives?"

Aphrodite smirked vivaciously. "That would be spoiling the surprise."

I have a terrible premonition this surprise would be far from pleasant.

"Oh, don't worry, dear. I'll make sure your love life is engraved in the stones of history for all of time," she let out a wistful sigh. "Just like Helen and Paris. Oh I absolutely loved them as a couple, don't you agree?" She didn't wait for our input. "Really, I'll make sure you and Nico have a memorable run," she glanced at me directly. "I can't promise it won't be a tragedy."

_That_ unsettled me more than I'd like to admit.

"Well, anyway, remember what I told you, boys. Good luck on your quest. I hope we have a lovely chat some other time," Aphrodite said with sickening sweet smile that rubbed me the wrong way. "Close the door behind you."

A/N:

Hey guys, sorry I haven't been updating in a while. I promise I'm not ghosting you or anything haha. I've been working on a sequel to my other story, Interrogational Therapy. It's not even close to being finished, but when I'm done, you might want to check it out. Anyway, this chapter was really a present to the Percabeth and Solangelo fans out there. Hope you enjoyed reading it. Tell me what you think in the comments.


	30. Chapter 27:

Chapter 27: The Role We Play

Later that night, when everyone was snoozing around the campfire, I couldn't sleep. As quietly as I could, I slipped out of my sleeping bag and silently made my way over to a nearby log to sit on. I stared up at the night sky, admiring all of the twinkling stars weaved in the velvety shades of midnight.

When I couldn't sleep due to… _that_ place, I would make my way to the railing of the Argo II and just… _think_. I would think and ponder and let my mind wander, sometimes allowing it to delve into the darkest of thoughts or the impossible hopes I just can't let go. But never too deep in.

That could be dangerous.

How did my life get to this point? How did everything go downhill so fast? I tried so hard to keep everything together. I lied for my sister, I conned for my father, I fought for my life. Where does it end? In what scenario can I truly be _truthful? _Even when I'm telling the truth it's never the full story. Never. Ever.

I admitted to Annabeth I was a time traveler and even managed to spill out how it all came to be. But I couldn't spill the location of the Romans to her. I told everyone I'm a son of Hades, but I conveniently left out the fact that I time traveled. When I _finally_ told them I'm a time traveler, I couldn't even muster the courage to break the hard news to Thalia that her little brother is still alive. I couldn't even tell my sister how our mother died.

Why? Why do I have to know this? Why do I have to be the bearer of bad news? Sometimes I wish I could go back to being that innocent little 10 year old again. That boy used to be annoying, loud, and obnoxious, but at least he was ignorant of all the death surrounding him.

Well, ignorance is bliss, right?

I shook my head, ridding the thoughts from my mind. I can't be thinking about this right now. Not when Bianca's life is on the line. So that leaves the question: What other options do I have if everything goes south?

Well, there's always the nuclear plan—_taking her place_. With how my life is spiraling at the moment, maybe it's best for _everyone_ that I take the nuke option. Bianca will be safe, Percy won't be betrayed, and Annabeth is smart enough to figure everything out on her own. I provided the framework, she's more than capable of drawing out the blueprints.

But… What about Will?

I can't just leave him, right? Or can I? He barely knows me and I barely know him. Perhaps it's better for both of us if I'm out of this equation. After all, who am I to taint his sunny aura with my depressing one? Besides, Will wouldn't want me around—_no one would_ if they knew what I truly am beneath this tragedy.

I _am_ the tragedy.

"Nico?"

I turned to find a tired Percy gazing at me in concern. His seagreen eyes looked dimmer than usual and deep purple bags were etched in his otherwise chiseled face. His movements were sluggish as he plopped down next to me.

"You okay?" He asked, glancing at me.

"No," I answered shortly, not in the mood to elaborate. But really, am I every in the mood to elaborate? I studied the constellations, avoiding his gaze.

"You want to talk about it?"

"No."

After a moment of silence Percy spoke. "The stars are nice tonight," he said conversationally.

I didn't say anything.

"So… did you find a way to save Bianca?"

"I think so."

"Care to share?"

"You don't want to know." Translation: _I_ don't want you to know.

If he does know, I'm sure he'll find some way to stop me or convince me otherwise.

A tired sigh escaped Percy. "Nico, if something's bothering you, you know you can tell me, right?"

"Something's always bothering me, Percy. The difference now is I can't hide it from you," I said.

Percy frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means what I said. Sometimes you're just too observant for your own good. That can be dangerous. You ever heard the term 'ignorance is bliss?'" I asked.

"Yeah, it's a pretty common phrase," Percy said.

"It also holds a lot of truth," I pointed out. "Especially in this situation."

"Which situation?"

_"All_ situations," I replied. "What you have to understand is that people hear what they want to hear. People see what they want to see. Some people just don't have that luxury. Some people _have_ to know the truth. If they don't know, who else will?" I sighed. "Not everyone wants to accept what's right in front of them, but _someone_ has to."

"You're saying you're that someone?"

"I'm saying I've _always_ been that someone," I admitted. "Time travel merely changed the name of the game. But the rules are still there."

"And what are the rules?"

"Let's just say the phrase 'ignorance is bliss' is a big part of those rules. Probably the very foundation, in fact."

A look of realization dawned on the Son of the Sea God's face. "You're still hiding something! You're still holding something back! But we—we trusted you!" He whispered-yelled, making sure to keep his voice down so the others wouldn't wake up.

"Of course I'm holding something back! Even when I'm telling the truth, I can't tell the full story! And you know why? Because people hear what they want to hear! They simply aren't ready to process anything else. They aren't ready to accept it," I whispered-yelled back. "You think Bianca would be ready to accept the fact that she might very well die tomorrow?"

"That's not your choice to make. She needs to know," Percy argued. This is exactly what I was afraid of. This is why I didn't want to tell Percy the full extent of my job.

"She'll know when she's ready to know. Just like she'll know how our mother died when she's ready. Or how the Greeks will know the Romans exist when they're ready. Or how Thalia will know when she's ready. Or how everyone—including the Gods—will know of their possible extinction in four years when they're ready. It's a job, Percy. An art most people can't perform. What do you think will happen if they aren't ready to know? If they aren't ready to accept it? If you tell them something they _don't_ want to hear? If you push them into the deep end too early?"

"They learn to accept it and swim across," Percy answered matter-of-fact.

"No, they _drown_. Believe me, Percy, I've seen it first hand. I've seen people's minds shatter at a truth they aren't ready to face, at a truth they didn't want to hear. The Greeks and Romans… they slaughtered each other when they figured out the truth. That's how the end of the world started, Percy. Sure it was the giant's destruction. Sure it was the resurrection of a giant almost 70 years ago. But it's more than that. Who do you think allowed it to happen? It was us. We are to blame," I admitted quietly. "For the first time, us demigods truly _broke."_

"So… How does someone learn to accept it?" Percy asked quietly.

"Time, experience. That's how I've seen it happen," I said.

"What happens if they never learn to accept it?"

"Well, let's just hope they never needed to know the truth in the first place."

"That's… terrible. How do you live like that?" He asked. There was no hate, no resentment in his voice. Just concern.

"Honestly? I'm not sure. I guess it becomes a part of you after so many years of doing it, but one never truly knows," I replied. I turned to him for the first time that night. "The point is, Percy, we all have a part to play in this. This isn't just about the hero and the villain. You and Annabeth, you're the heroes of this story. So are most of Camp Half Blood. Luke and his crew, a lot of them are the villains. But nothing is ever set in stone. There is always a grey area. So, I guess what I'm trying to get to is… don't be surprised if the tables turn so quickly. Don't be surprised if you face a bitter truth too."

Percy nodded, getting the message. He then frowned in contemplation. "What kind of part do you have to play in this? The hero?"

I stared straight into his ocean eyes. Even in his youth, Percy's eyes looked as tired as ever. "The angel who must send the message."

Percy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I think that's you too." He raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Are you a guardian angel or an archangel?"

I stopped and thought for a moment. Which one am I? Guardian angels are depicted as ethereal beings who are like the personal guides to humans on earth. They do whatever those above them tell them to do. They're the equivalent to godly puppets. But that's not me. I'm here for _everyone_. I don't want to be a puppet. Archangels, on the other hand, are like the police officers of heaven and humanity as a whole. Like me, they are entrusted with a specific task.

A ghost of a smile graced my face. "I'm an archangel. I'm here for everyone." I glanced at the sleeping form of my sister a few feet away. "Not just one person."

I got up to leave the misery log 2.0, but stopped in my tracks when Percy said, "I don't judge you for handling things this way. I admire the fact that you're trying to save everyone by hiding the truth until they're ready. Just… don't let the truth kill you inside, okay? If you ever need to talk, I'm here. I can accept it."

The thing is, I don't doubt him. But I don't want him to know what I know. He's got enough on his plate. He's the hero. The hero doesn't bear the knowledge the angel bears, that's just the way it goes.

"Hey, um, Nico? Is there anything going on between you and Will?" He asked suddenly, hesitance evident in his voice.

For some reason, I felt my ears and cheeks heating up. "Uh, no! No, we're just friends! We met at capture the flag!"

Percy watched me very carefully. "Yeah, of course. Just friends," he repeated. I could've sworn his lips quirked in a smirk. "Just friends."

I raised an eyebrow suspiciously. Why is he acting so funny? Percy threw his hands up in surrender and didn't comment. Whatever it is it can't be _that_ important, right? Right. Nothing I need to worry about.

But even as I snuggled into my sleeping bag, a few things still lingered in the back of my mind. The scene of Aphrodite's transformation as she looked at me still rubbed me the wrong way. For one thing, Aphrodite admitted that I already found my soulmate. Then she morphed into a spot-on replica of Will? Will couldn't possibly be… No. No, I'm not going down that path again. I refuse to.

_Love is a lesson that must be taught one way or another. And you, Nico di Angelo, still have a lot to learn, _Aphrodite's words echoed through the caverns of my mind.

Aphrodite is a lot of things, but a liar isn't one of them.

I took a deep breath and cocooned myself deeper into the thick lining of the sleeping bag. This is just too much for my head to wrap around. I still want to brainstorm more options to save Bianca, but I'm afraid that the nuke option may be theI only card I've been dealt with for this scenario. There's a possibility I could just ask Bianca not to pick up that figurine. It's worth a try, but if there's one thing I've learned in his line of work, nothing's ever that easy.

One way or another, Talos will be awoken, and I have a feeling that there's nothing I can do to stop it.

A/N: **You should probably read this. Sorry it's so long.**

Hey guys... it's been a while. So... I kind of lost inspiration for this story, which is why I haven't updated in a while. But I'm back and I think I got my inspiration back too! You see, I'm not about to write the climax when I'm all out of ideas and motivation to write this story. That would suck more than not writing it at all. Also, my interest strayed away from MSMR and to other books I've been waiting for the chance to write. For example, the sequel to Interrogational Therapy is in progress and so is the sequel for the sequel because I couldn't decide which book should be the second book and which book should be the third. You'll see what I mean if you read it, which won't be until one of the two books is finished of course. Also, my interest went to another book, a Percy Jackson AU take on Six of Crows because why the heck _not? _It's basically the Percy Jackson characters replacing the original characters from Six of Crows, all with new story arcs and stuff, as well as new abilities. It's kind of a dark take on the characters, but I wanted to give it a try. If you're in to that kind of stuff, you should check it out. And another thing... I'm _really _sorry for not updating. I know what it feels like to wait for _days _before the author updates, yet I just pulled a fast one on all of you. Call me hypocritical, but don't tell me you guys haven't done the same thing with your stories. Anyway, this chapter was another filler but not really. It's more there for the sake of the character arc and to make the reason behind Nico not wanting to tell Bianca about everything clearer. Well, that reason was probably already clear enough but whatever. I felt this chapter was important so I wrote it. Next chapter is the climax so get ready. Stuff is about to go down and I don't think you're ready for it. Again, sorry for not updating. Hopefully it won't happen again.

-Echo


	31. Chapter 28:

A/N:

Alright guys, this is it. The climax is here. Just a heads up this may be the longest chapter I have ever written. Also, sorry it took so long to post this chapter. I had to make sure this chapter was extra special, but bouncing back from writer's block makes that really hard to accomplish. Anyway, enjoy the chapter, sorry again for taking so long to update. As always feel free to comment!

-Echo

Chapter 28: the Nuke Option

I woke up to someone shaking me. "Nico? Nico, wake up! Wake up, sleepyhead!"

Groaning, I reluctantly cracked my eyes open only to be blinded by the demonic lighting in the sky called the sun. "What time is it?" I mumbled.

Bianca's face slowly came into focus, a silhouette of silver in the pale lighting. I could clearly count the number of freckles splashed across her nose with how close she was to me. Her dark eyes shined with amusement as she smiled. "Time to wake up, sleepyhead."

I stared at her, wondering what could possibly be so funny. After all, her death may very well be today. She must have felt the somber change in the atmosphere too because the smile slipped off her face just as soon as it came. "Hey, are you okay?" She asked gently.

I stared into her dark eyes, debating if I should tell her. On one hand, telling her could very well save her life. She would be aware of the risk touching any object in that junkyard presents. Maybe, just maybe she won't feel compelled to snatch the Hades figurine. Perhaps then she wouldn't if she knew her life depended on it.

On the other hand, what good would it be to tell her at the expense of her innocence? Innocence is perishable, fragile, and nonrenewable. Once you lose it, it's gone for good. That is, unless you take a swim in the River Lethe, which at the moment is currently unavailable to use. Bianca has had a hard enough life as it is. I've cost her enough stress. I don't need to stress her out on this too. If I can help it, her lighthouse will never go out.

Not like mine did.

So, I'll go with option three: Tell everyone not to touch anything. Perhaps now that they know I'm a time traveler, they'll take me seriously.

I flashed a convincing smile. "Yeah, I'm fine." The truth is, I _am_ fine. Bianca isn't gone yet. I can still save her.

I _will_ save her.

Five minutes later, we're up on our feet and trotting through the sandy dunes of the Arizona desert. We all stopped in our tracks once we reached the entrance of the Junkyard of the Gods. I eyed the entrance wearily, taking note of the sparkling knickknacks scattered this way and that, all catching the light of the sun captivatingly. The sun shone like a spotlight on the celestial bronze mound in the distance, which seemed to be waiting patiently for its actors to come up on stage so the tragedy can unfold.

I'm beginning to have second thoughts about this.

Can't I just shadow travel everyone to the other side? It would save everyone a _lot_ of trouble. Except me. I would probably be dead by the exertion, or at the very least passed out for a week or two. Or, worse case scenario, I end up accidentally shadow traveling everyone to China. Shadow travel would probably end up making matters worse for everyone. So, that's an out.

That's when the reality finally hit me: I have no other back up plans besides the nuke option if anything goes wrong, and something is _bound_ to go wrong. Call me pessimistic, but I choose to focus and rely on the cold hard facts instead of being optimistic enough to believe everything will turn out well in the end. From experience, I know it won't turn out well, which is all the more reason to focus on the facts that I've gathered:

Talos will wake up if any property of the Gods is stolen.

My sister has a track record of stealing the Hades figurine from the Gods.

She's already died because of it.

The facts, on top of the awful premonition I'm getting all points to one outcome: This isn't going to end well.

I turned to the other questers. They each had identical solemn expressions and all looked on edge.

It seems I'm not the only one who has a bad feeling about this.

"Before we enter the junkyard of the Gods, I want to establish a few ground rules first," I said. "Do not, under any circumstances _touch anything!" _I looked at each of them in the eyes as I said this before finally settling on Bianca. "The junk may look cool, it may look pretty, and it may be tempting. _Don't touch it. _Trust me, it's a trap. It's a failsafe designed by the Gods to keep intruders from stealing their possessions they don't want anymore." I sighed, rubbing my face tiredly. "If, or more likely, the _inevitable_ chance that we _do_ touch something and grab it, a prototype machine made by the God of Forge will awaken. Believe me when I say this, you do _not _want to awaken the prototype of Talos." I looked Bianca dead in the eye. "Especially you.

"Do I make myself clear when I say we are not touching or grabbing anything?" I asked. Everyone exchanged a look of concern before nodding. "Good. Stay on the trail and don't wander off. The sooner we leave, the better."

With that speech in mind, we headed off to our impending doom.

The silence of the junkyard was nothing short of eerie. No one said a word as we all gazed wearily at our surroundings. We mostly stayed in the shade of the humongous piles of junk, despite trying to steer clear of it. If the annoyed expressions of my friends were anything to go by, it's obvious the Arizona heat is getting to us. Awesome. Delirium and piped up rage is exactly what we need right now. Couldn't Apollo just, I don't know, dial the temperature of the sun down a bit? Or at the very least make it cloudy? But even as I thought about it, I knew Apollo wouldn't be able to help us. He's done so much already, and continuing to aid us in the quest would look too suspicious.

That being said, we're in this alone.

I made sure to stay close to Bianca in case she tries anything. Normally I wouldn't be hovering over my sister like this, but I _have_ to make sure. This place is a stage of horrors and we are the actors caught in the spotlight. _Anything_ can happen.

"Wow," Grover breathed in amazement, breaking the silence. "Look at all this stuff! Is that a golden reed pipe?" He pointed to a particularly sparkly object in arm's reach.

I pulled him back by the hood of his jacket. "Grover, don't!" I stopped him just before his fingers grazed the reed pipes.

This isn't good. The temptations are simply too much, even for people as considerate and selfless as Grover. Too much temptation is dangerous and dangerous means losing the people I love to a gigantic failsafe.

"Sorry," the satyr apologized sheepishly, realizing his mistake.

"Just be more careful, okay?" I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. I didn't wait for an answer as I walked farther up. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to. I stopped short when I realized I left Bianca alone.

Annabeth's eyes locked with mine before glancing at Bianca. She smiled and gestured farther up. _Move along. I'll stay behind and keep watch,_ was the message I could clearly see in her steel grey eyes.

I sent her a look of gratitude before making my way to my cousins. It was at that moment I realized just how much I trust her. Not just with my own life, but with my sister's life too. I suddenly felt glad that she was the first person I told my secret to. If I had told anyone else first, things would have turned out very differently. Everyone I'm close to has something to bring to the table, but I needed someone with a fresh perspective and clear mindset to help me sift through my damaged one.

Was it wrong for me to tell her first? I didn't even consider how that might affect Bianca. Was it because I was afraid of what my sister might do or what she might say if I told her first, or was it more than that? No. I was afraid Bianca would see the real me, and with our spiraling life at the moment, I didn't think she would be able to handle it. But miraculously she did. It took some time, but she finally came to terms with the fact that the little brother she thought she knew was gone and I've taken his place. Or at least, I am the result of an unfortunate tragedy that in another timeline already unfolded.

Still, was it right not to tell her about this too? I've been trying so hard to protect her. I don't want her innocence to go out just like mine did. But is this really the right way to go about it? Maybe her innocence isn't such a loss compared to her trust. Was Percy right? One of the greatest inconveniences I have come to understand as a time traveler is that I know what will happen in the future, yet I have no clue how people will react. People are already complicated enough as it is and me being here may have just complicated things more.

Zoe and Thalia's animated conversation interrupted my thoughts.

"Thou should have joined _us _when thou had the chance! We offered thou freedom! We offered thou redemption! Now thou will have thoughts that forever dwell on a _boy,"_ Zoe spat. I couldn't help but roll my eyes in annoyance. Why do they have to do this now?

"I don't care about the stupid offers you made! Stay out of my business!" Thalia hissed, her venomous words more deadly than Gorgon's blood.

If I know Thalia—and I _definitely_ know Thalia—then this situation is going to escalate faster than kerosene catches fire.

"What's going on?" I muttered to Percy, who was trying and failing to calm Thalia down.

"I think Zoe said something to Thalia about… about _Luke," _he answered in a low voice. I nodded in understanding. Luke is a difficult subject to talk about. Sure he wronged me personally, but not as much as he wronged Thalia, Annabeth, and Percy personally. As much as I hate that guy's guts, it may not be so simple for them.

"He has turned! Thou will not find what thou art looking for!" The lieutenant of Artemis exclaimed.

Thalia's glare never looked so murderous. A stray spark of electricity crackled along her fists. "Do not _ever_ bring him up again! Do you understand me? That's my business to know and I will not have a nosy, peppy idiot like you from freaking Ancient Greece giving me boy advice when _you_ couldn't even handle Hercules!"

The Daughter of Zeus unsheathed her spear.

"Thalia, stop!" Percy and I screamed simultaneously. We both made a move to hold our cousin back when she aimed her spear at Zoe. Bianca and Gorver immediately ran up to Zoe and held her back when she aimed her bow and arrow at Thalia. Annabeth stationed herself in the middle of the scene, trying to prevent a fight from happening.

"Guys, this is not the time not the place to be doing this. You want to work something out, work it out when we leave the junkyard—or better yet, when this quest is over," Annabeth said.

It seems the nerves are getting the better of us, and if we aren't careful, they will kill us.

"It is not my fault she threw away an opportunity to join the Hunt," Zoe turned to Thalia and spoke coldly. "Do not come crying to the Hunters for a second chance when he breaks thy heart into pieces once again."

That was the last straw and everyone knew it.

With a cry of rage and fury, Thalia held her hand to the sky, summoning a bolt of lightning. "STOP TALKING ABOUT HIM!" She roared as she hurled the bolt at a wide-eyed Zoe.

Zoe ducked just in time as the lightning bolt crackled harmlessly over her head. But a terrible feeling erupted in my stomach, telling me the trouble's just begun. I watched in silent horror as the bolt skipped over the bits of metal and knickknacks scattered around the junkyard while everyone around me scrambled to pull Thalia and Zoe apart from their fight.

My stomach dropped when I saw where the bolt finally hit its mark.

I didn't realize I was hyperventilating until someone shook my shoulders. "Nico? Nico, are you alright? You look really pale."

Bianca's voice of concern snapped me back to reality. Looking into her innocent dark eyes, seeing the ignorance, the worry, I suddenly felt a wave of anguish overcome me. I should have told her. I should have been completely honest. Now?

Now it's too late.

A rumbling sounded in the distance.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered.

Bianca's eyes widened, "What are you sorry about? Why are you crying, _fratello?"_ She asked as she gently wiped the tears sliding down my cheeks.

I felt everyone's eyes on me as the fighting ceased. "I should have been more honest with you, Bianca," I said with a quiet sob. "I should have been a better brother to you."

If I had just told her, none of this would have ever happened. We wouldn't be in this mess, and she probably would've opted not to join the Hunters in the first place, or at the very least decline in going on the quest. But I couldn't tell her. Now, I may have just set into motion something far worse than before.

"Hey, don't talk like that. Tell me what's wrong," she kneeled down in front of me.

A loud clatter echoed across the junkyard.

I grabbed her warm hand, knowing this could very well be the last time I do. "Bianca… last time, you…" my voice cracked. "Last time you died on this quest. Now because of me, you might very well die again."

"I—I _died?"_ Tears began to slide down her cheek. "How… How did I die?" She asked in shock.

I finally turned to face the automaton forming in the distance. It rose from the ground with an air of silent glory. It's stoic face was carved handsomely like a marble bust and it's humongous bronze sword glinted dangerously in the sunlight. The automaton looked as ready as ever for battle in its celestial bronze armor and I knew I couldn't say the same for us.

"The prototype of Talos killed you," I answered shakily. "If we don't move now, it will kill you again."

Without another word I yanked Bianca along with me, ignoring her yelp of surprise, and made a break for the nearest cover, but not before dragging Annabeth along with me. I've already lost three sisters—Bianca, Hazel, and Reyna. I will _not_ lose a fourth. The others followed, and Thalia and Zoe seemingly forgot about their fight from earlier.

Talos, in all of its 200 foot glory followed closely behind, its emotionless molten eyes searching for the intruders. How did Talos wake up? As far as I'm concerned, no one stole anything. Bianca couldn't have stolen the figurine if Annabeth was keeping an eye on her the whole time. Sure Thalia and Zoe were fighting, but that couldn't have been the reason—

Wait.

Thalia's lightning bolt.

When it hit the bronze mound, aka Talos, the disturbance must have activated it, thereby giving it a perfectly valid reason to kill us.

Or more likely—kill my sister.

Suddenly I felt a rush of anger. I just time traveled from a future where I witnessed, heard, and felt every single one of my friends die. I just held my little sister in my arms as she took her last breath. I didn't come all of this way just to watch another one of my sisters die all over again. Screw the Gods, screw the rules, and screw the Fates.

This is my story, so I might as well write it how it should be.

"We need a plan," Annabeth and I said simultaneously. We stared quizzically at each other for a second. I waved her off before she could speak. "You're the Daughter of Athena, so therefore you automatically make better plans."

In the rush of the moment, she smiled and ruffled my hair. "Thanks, Neeks." I side glanced Bianca and was surprised to find no jealousy in her eyes.

"Just make sure you don't get us all killed, Annie."

"Noted."

The Daughter of Athena studied the automaton calculatingly, her steel grey eyes seemingly sifting through the celestial bronze like sand to find the weakness. Her face suddenly lit up like a lightbulb.

"The automaton is impenetrable due to its celestial bronze armor. If we can somehow access the underneath, we can beat it. Cutting the wires and short circuiting it should do the trick," she explained. Annabeth turned to me. "Do you know how we beat the automaton last time?"

I was about to answer her, but Percy interrupted us. "Uh, guys?" Hearing him say that brought back sweet memories of the Smithsonian Museum. "We really need to move."

He was right. With a step or two more, the automaton can crush us like ants. I unsheathed my dagger, knowing very well it wouldn't do much good against the prototype of Talos. The others unsheathed their weapons too. I took a deep breath. "Let's take this stupid sparkle machine down."

Zoe and Bianca ran one direction, scaling the tall mounds of junk for a better vantage point while Percy, Annabeth, Thalia, and I ran towards the automaton's feet. Grover joined the hunters and played his reed pipes at a distance to grow vines that wrapped around the automaton's ankles, slowing it down a smidge.

We weaved skillfully in between Talos' gigantic feet, swiping the celestial bronze while the automaton moved slower than molasses. But I fear we're about as annoying as gnats to the automaton. With every step Talos took, we dodged and rolled out of the way. My eyes scanned the feet, taking note of the thick sheets of celestial bronze melded flawlessly together. Everyone tried to penetrate the sheets of metal, but it wouldn't budge. Zoe and Bianca's arrows couldn't even make a dent. Grover's vines snagged and ripped with an awful sound, and roots of green flew everywhere. We barely had enough time to roll out of the way before Talos could squash us.

This isn't working. We need a new plan. We need a better strategy to get underneath the sheets of celestial bronze. Once we do that, taking this thing down should be a heck of a lot easier.

That's when I spotted it.

Screws. Tiny screws all over the edges of each sheet of bronze.

A spark of hope ignited and new found determination flooded through me.

We can beat it.

"Annabeth! The screws!" I shouted. "We can pop them out to get underneath!"

Annabeth's eyes widened in understanding. We rolled out of the way for what felt like the millionth time and darted away from the airborne junk flying above us. "Help me pop them out!" She dug her knife into the ridges of one of the sheets and I did the same. Thalia and Percy quickly caught on to our strategy and tried the screws on the other foot.

"Bianca! Zoe! Aim for the screws!" Thalia shouted.

It's not much of a strategy, but it's all we got.

We strained our weapons under the stress of the screws. No matter how much pressure we applied, they simply wouldn't budge. At one point, I even tried sawing at them, but it wouldn't cut. Thalia jabbed under the ridges, even going as far as twisting the screws out with the tip of her spear. Percy and Annabeth weren't having much luck either, both of them trying and failing to get under the screws with their blades.

It's no use. This isn't working either.

Talos ambushed us with a surprise attack, swiping at us instead of Bianca, Zoe, and Grover. We narrowly dodged the attack, but Annabeth wasn't so lucky. She flew through the air in seemingly slow motion before hitting the ground with a horrifying thud.

"ANNABETH!!" We darted towards her motionless body, running faster than we've ever ran before.

"No, no, no, Annabeth! Annabeth, come on! Wake up!" Percy shook her shoulders but she was unresponsive.

"Annabeth, wake up! I _can't_ lose you too!" Thalia cradled Annabeth's head, stroking the curly sun rays tinged with scarlet.

_I _can't lose you too!

Jason.

The thought of him made my stomach churn with guilt.

I was relieved that I heard no ringing, but the blood running down Annabeth's head seriously worried me. Best case scenario: She only has a minor concussion. Worst case scenario: She's comatose.

I glanced nervously behind me, taking note of Talos' advancement. "Guys, we need to move her to some cover and _fast."_

Percy picked her up bridal style while Thalia and I offered some cover. We advanced behind a nearby pile of junk and found Zoe, Bianca, and Grover already waiting for us. They had the ambrosia and nectar out and ready. We got to work quickly and stuffed a few squares of ambrosia into Annabeth's mouth before sliding down a bit of nectar.

Annabeth groaned in pain but otherwise didn't open her eyes.

"What are we going to do now?" Grover asked helplessly. His eyes kept glancing at Annabeth nervously.

Grover's right. What are we going to do now? Annabeth is out cold and chances are she won't be back in the play for a while. We have no plan that's worked so far in penetrating the prototype's impenetrable skin. We have no back up plan, no strategist, and no way out.

I can try shadow traveling us out one at a time, but I doubt my 10 year old self would have enough energy to do it back and forth for miles. With Annabeth injured like this, I don't think her body could handle the G-force.

"Wait, I think I see something," Bianca said, perking our attention. "There!" She pointed to the foot of the automaton. "You see? There's a small hatch at the heel of the foot! We can get inside and sabotage the machine from the inside out!"

She's right. I had to squint to see it, but it was definitely there. It was an incredibly small space with a celestial bronze door. You wouldn't notice it unless you knew where to look. Why would a hatch be at such a vulnerable area of the automaton? Well, this is a prototype. Maybe this was one of the reasons the machine didn't make the cut.

Zoe narrowed her eyes at the hatch. "The mechanical beast is moving too fast! There is no way we can enter the hatch without meeting death himself."

I studied the movement of the automaton, noting the amount of seconds between each rise and fall of the foot. Approximately six seconds. That means six seconds to slide under the foot, open the hatch, and climb inside. That's not even taking into account how complicated the hatch is to open.

Wait a second. It's metal.

Heat melts metal into a liquid form.

I can create heat with my hands.

A plan D began to formulate in my mind.

"I think I have an idea. But you're not going to like it," I said, keeping my eyes set on the hatch.

"At this point, I'm open to any ideas you have in mind," Thalia said with a tired sigh, wiping the slick sweat off her forehead. "It's probably better than being crushed alive by a gigantic machine."

"Agreed," Zoe surprisingly said.

"Getting crushed by a giant foot is a painful way to go," Percy added. "Not as painful as some deaths, but it's pretty far up there."

"What kind of plan do you have in mind?" Bianca asked.

"I counted the number of seconds between each rise and fall of its feet, and it's about six seconds," I said. "If we can get inside the hatch within six seconds, we can sabotage the automaton from the inside out."

Thalia frowned. "So who's going into the hatch?"

"I'll go," Percy offered. "I've done the impossible before."

"To Hades you are!" Thalia said. "I've got more experience than you in this sort of thing. It's easy to see you've got a role to play in the future, Kelp Head. You _and _Annie."

"I'm a satyr," Grover said. "My job is to protect the demigods on the quest, and it's time I've done my job right."

"No, I will go. I have more experience than the both of thou. I have lived for thousands of years. With my heightened strength and agility, the task can be accomplished," Zoe said.

"What?! No! Zoe, you're the leader of this quest! You can't just go on a suicide mission like this! I'll go. I'm expendable," Bianca argued fiercely.

No. This is wrong. I will not sit here and play God, deciding who gets to live and who gets to die. I didn't just come here to prevent the war. I came here to prevent the deaths of my friends, the very same topic they are discussing right now.

I was about to speak up but something in the pile of junk next to us caught my eye. It was small, black, and carved delicately. I recognized the object almost immediately.

A feeling of dread flooded through me because there, sitting on top of a mound of gold, the Hades figurine shined eerily in the lighting.

I grabbed it and studied it, running my fingers along the intricate ridges of the molded plastic. How did this get here? Did the Fates leave it here on purpose? Is this where my sister picked it up last time? Probably. I'm surprised she didn't pick it up this time.

No, now it's my turn it would seem.

I stared at my friends, watching them argue. Is it so ironic that _I _found the figurine this time, Hades, the only piece of the set I was missing? I thought back to that fateful day when Percy handed me the figurine and broke the news. No, what was ironic was the figurine was of my father, the person I never knew I was missing from my life. I watched Bianca argue with my other friends, her face contorted in pain.

_Bianca would've done better, _my father's callous voice reverberated in my skull.

He was right. She would've done better, and she _will _do better. But I'm not doing this to prove him right. I'm not doing this for empty revenge on Percy. I'm not doing this for anyone but Bianca.

It's been for Bianca and it always will be for Bianca.

"No one is going into the hatch except me," I decided, interrupting the rapidly pacing argument. "I won't make the same mistake I made last time."

I won't let my sister die again.

Bianca's eyes were wider than saucers. "Absolutely not. I won't allow my _younger brother _to go inside a freaking murder machine just to be crushed to death! I have tolerated the craziness you've pulled already, but this is going too far! I will not lose you!"

"Bianca, I have been through two wars, the Labyrinth, and have survived Tartarus! I have done the impossible before and I can do it again. I will not risk the safety of the future! I'm going into that hatch. This is _not_ up for negotiation," I I argued.

I'm bluffing of course. If the prototype of Talos killed Bianca, I have no doubt it will kill me too. But the difference is she won't have to die by the hands of Talos. At the end of the day, that's what matters most to me. Besides, Percy is the child of the prophecy, Thalia will be the new Lieutenant of Artemis, Zoe will lead them to Mt. Orthys, and Grover is meant to find Pan and become the Lord of the Wild.

I guess I won't be a part of that future and that's okay.

"And what about your time travel?" Percy asked. "Who's going to know how to fix the future?"

"I gave Annabeth the framework. She can make the blueprints," I answered. Of course, there are so many details to tell and so little time, but Annabeth is smart enough to find the missing pieces.

"But you're more valuable than us! You are prophesied to save the world! You're the Angel of the Fallen! Percy, Bianca, you, or I could complete the Great Prophecy given time, but only you can complete yours," Thalia said.

"That may be true, but the prophecy could very well have proclaimed _Bianca _the Angel of the Fallen. Both of our last names mean 'of the angels.' She could very well be the savior that will ultimately prevent the second Gigantomachy. Not me."

"You were given the prophecy," Percy retorted. "That has to mean something."

"Percy, just because you receive a prophecy does not always guarantee you will be the one to complete it," I said.

"But—"

I interrupted Bianca. "Bottom line, I have more experience than all of you, including Zoe. I will not sit here and watch one of my friends or my _sister _go into that killing machine. Not again. I am going and you will not stop me."

For days I have been worrying about how to prevent my sister's death. Now I finally know how. Fate has a funny way of circling things back. If there's one thing I've learned from this experience, you can't prevent your fate. You can either run and be forced to face it eventually, or you can face it with grace and the sense that you did some good in this world and now it's time to go.

I'm choosing the second option.

I turned to my older sister. "Bianca, live your life. Don't waste it on me. Don't let me hold you back. Show Olympus why they are wrong to think all children of Hades are evil." I enclosed the Hades figurine in her shaking hands and kissed her forehead. "I'll wait for you, _sorella."_

Everyone seemed to connect the dots pretty quick with what I was implying. The tension in the air thickened.

"Nico, I've met a lot of demigods with big hearts, but yours is definitely the biggest," Grover said.

Thalia smiled sadly. "Good luck, Demon Boy. If you die on us, I'm going to the Underworld to re-murder you myself."

"It is because of thou that I finally see not all men are evil," Zoe said. "The Hunters will honor thou through the centuries."

Percy places a hand on my shoulder. "Thank you."

I frowned. "For what?" If anyone should be saying thank you, it's me. Percy is one of the first people to accept me and believe me, after all.

Percy hugged me. "Everything."

I returned the hug, relishing the comfort of warmth before I would have to face the cold of the Underworld. I nodded to the others in farewell. "Thank you, guys. I won't forget you. Please tell Will and Annabeth I'm sorry."

I walked away and took out my knife, breathing in deep. But Bianca snatched my wrist and death gripped it. "Don't go." I have never heard her sound so desperate in my life.

I turned back to her as the tears streamed down my cheeks. I wiped her tears gently. "I'm sorry," I whispered. I looked Percy dead in the eye. "You want to make it up to me for letting her die last time? You hold her tight and don't let go. You understand?"

Percy's eyes widened in understanding. He wrapped his arms around Bianca, pulling her back. Startled, Bianca fought in Percy's grasp and she fought _hard._ "NICO!! NICO, DON'T GO!!" My sister screamed bloody murder. I had an inkling feeling this would be the last time she screamed my name. It took all of my will power not to run back to her and sob. If I were my naive 10 year old self, I wouldn't have even hesitated.

But we all have to grow and face the bitter truth some day.

I roughly wiped the tears flooding in my eyes and channeled my fury and pain into igniting my knife. Like a torch, the blade of my dagger glowed the eerie green of Greek Fire. Suddenly a piercing sound echoed in my skull, making me hold my head and wince in pain. The ringing.

I'm going to die.

That's okay. As long as no one else has to die, I know it won't be in vain.

The thought made me sprint faster toward the prototype of Talos.

I finally reached the automaton. I dodged and rolled away from its humongous feet, keeping the knife ignited long enough to reach the hatch. My sister's screams long since faded in the symphonies of the cacophonous ringing. I wish it didn't have to end this way. But it was either me or her. I won't allow my sister to die. Who knows, maybe Bianca will try to resurrect me and find Hazel instead.

At least they'll finally meet each other.

On the bright side, maybe I won't ever see the wildflowers again either. I almost scoffed at the thought. No, the wildflowers in the field will _always_ haunt me whether I'm gone with them or not.

Talos lifted its feet and I rolled under, jabbing my knife into the bronze and melting the hot metal. I traced an outline of a hole big enough for me to fit through in the locked hatch door. Sweat dripped down my forehead from the hot liquid metal slowly sinking down my sleeve and the pressure of the small window of time. But within three seconds I was already more than halfway done.

I can make it.

With a hiss, the celestial bronze gave into the heat and I kicked the door, revealing a newly formed hole. In the midst of the moment, I completely forgot the sides were still hot with liquid metal as I used my left hand to get a good grip. I winced in pain and quickly recoiled, and with it, I dropped the dagger. I made a move to grab it, but before I could, Talos began dropping its foot. My mind weighed the options and deduced that my life is more important than my weapon. In a split second, I used my elbows to pull myself up and scrambled into the foot just as it dropped. Breathing heavily, I heard my dagger crunch under the pressure of the automaton and realized that could've been me.

Thankfully it wasn't.

I looked around, seeing I was in a compartment of some sort full of a tangle of wires and cords. The room was pitch black and dark, but I could see just fine. Without another second wasted, I slipped off my pack and grabbed the ambrosia and nectar. I shoved a few squares of ambrosia in my mouth and poured some nectar over the burn. I decided if I'm going to die, I'm going to go in the least painful way possible that could be done when you're in a gigantic murder machine.

I breathed a sigh of relief when the throbbing in my hand ceased and the swelling went down. I stared at my hand, mesmerized by the interesting light pink swirling pattern wrapping around my palm and fingers.

A scar to remember exactly how I died.

Lovely.

If scars hold painful memories, then I've got loads of those.

The symphony of the fallen crawled higher in pitch, borderlining unbearable. But it will never be as unbearable as that day of the war. I looked around, deciding what would be the most effective way to damage this thing and keeping in mind what Annabeth said before. The copper wires caught my eye.

I immediately ripped out the tangle closest to me and winced as a shock coursed through my body.

Electrocution.

That's how Bianca died last time, and that's how I will die this time.

Well, it's not the worst way to go.

I unrolled the sleeves of Percy's hoodie, figuring the fabric is better than coming into direct contact with the wires. Gods, I want nothing more than to snuggle in this thing and pretend this life I'm living doesn't exist. Still, I ripped out a bunch of wires and was satisfied to hear the creaks sounding from outside of automaton, a clear sign it's working. As I ripped out the wires, I gave myself a mini pep-talk.

I am going to die, I thought. It's going to hurt, but what matters is my friends and my sister won't get hurt.

That's all that matters.

But what about the war effort?

Annabeth has all the information she needs. All she needs to do is what she does best: making blueprints and making plans.

Can't I just rip a few more wires and shadow travel out? No. I have to see this through. I have to make sure this automaton goes down and doesn't hurt anyone else. Besides, what's the use? The ringing is a sure sign I won't make it out of this one.

Suddenly a loud rumbling sounded, vibrating the entire machine. The creaking of metal and popping of screws, on top of the rapidly increasing pitch of the ringing told me it's almost time to go.

But I don't want to go.

I'm afraid.

Maybe it's because the 10 year old part of me that never left is afraid, but it's more than that. I'm not afraid of death, I'm afraid of leaving the people I love behind. Bianca, Annabeth, Percy, Will, Thalia, even Grover and Zoe. I don't want to leave.

I don't want to leave my sister like she left me.

These thoughts running through my head… It makes me wonder if this is what Bianca thought when she was dying. A rush of anger overcame. Did she even think about how _I _might feel about her going into that stupid machine?

What about me? She saved them, but where did that leave me?

I had no one else. Was it because I pushed everyone away? Was it because I was already alone to begin with?

No, it doesn't matter anymore. What matters is I'm no longer alone, even as I left behind the very people whom I come to see as my family. Bianca will be okay. They'll support her and she'll let them. Not like me. She won't end up alone like I did.

I couldn't hold back the sob from escaping my lips. I have never wanted to hug Bianca as much as I do now, even when I first saw her back at Westover Hall after all of these years.

Well, it looks like I failed Hestia and all my friends back in the future after all. That's okay. I know Bianca, Annabeth, Percy, and Thalia won't fail them. I've left the heroes of the future in good hands.

The automaton creaked loudly, falling apart limb by limb. The ringing, if possible, increased in pitch until it no longer sounded like ringing. Just white noise silently listening from the background.

I hope Bianca finds Hazel. By the Gods I will come back as a ghost to tell Bianca myself if it means she'll meet Hazel and Reyna. I hope they all become good friends. Annabeth too.

Maybe Dad will accept Bianca. I hope he doesn't treat her the same way he treated me.

"I'm sorry." I wasn't sure who I was saying sorry to. At this point, probably everyone.

"Goodbye, Bia," I whispered. I hoped somehow Bianca could still hear the message. Who knows, maybe Hestia or some other God is passing it along for me. But I'm sure she already knows.

A pop sounded in the machine and the sound of something heavy crashing into humongous cables outside echoed in the metal chamber.

The power lines.

This is it.

This is where the tragedy unfolds.

No.

I have to try to shadow travel. I have to try for Bianca. I have to try for Hazel. I have to try for the sake of the future. I can't give up, not like this.

I tried to summon the shadows to my aid, but with each power line knocked over, a jolt shocked me. My body shook violently as the electricity coursed through me.

One more jolt and I'm gone.

I closed my eyes, simultaneously preparing for certain death and wrapping the shadows around me at the same time. It was so hard to focus with the shocks of electricity flowing through me. But I have to do this. I can't let Bianca go through the same thing I did. Her lighthouse won't go out if I can help it, and if it does, by the Gods I'm going to be there to help her through it.

I felt the automaton topple over once more and snag on the next power line.

One more jolt and I'm gone.

I closed my eyes and held out my shaking hand, concentrating all of my focus on getting the shadows to respond. They licked my skin, their cool touch the only thing keeping me from losing my sanity.

I thought back to the time Bianca and I used to sit in our hotel room back at the Lotus Hotel and Casino, watching funny movies and giggling while eating buttery popcorn. The memory of Hazel and I sitting on the roof of Pluto's temple, her smile more precious than any diamonds she can summon. The time Reyna, Hedge, and I traveled the world to deliver the Athena Parthenos, the smell of the breakfast Hedge made and the warmth of Reyna's cloak. The hug I shared with Percy and Annabeth and the promise they made among the stars. When Will and I climbed the tree, his bright eyes sparkling in a thousand shades of the bluest of skies. Yesterday when I confessed a secret more deadly than the Giants to my friends—my _family._

These are the people I am fighting for. These people are the reason I fight not just for revenge, but for love. They are my family, and if I want to see them again, I have to step up to the plate once more.

With this newfound determination came the cooperation of the shadows. I snapped my fingers and let the shadows engulf me whole.

Black invaded my vision as the next jolt came.


	32. Chapter 29:

A/N:

Hey guys, I already know what you're thinking. I'm sorry for not updating quicker! I have no excuse except for my week has been super hectic with coronavirus and having to go into quarantine at my house, and I am a procrastinator. I hope this extra long chapter I wrote will make up for it! By the way, this chapter is kind of... odd. I'm experimenting and trying something new, and this idea was on my mind so, I wrote it. Please tell me what you think in the comments!

-Echo

Chapter 29: A Dance of Souls

My eyes snapped open to the sound of music.

It was faint, but it echoed through my very being, lulling me with its hypnotic rhythm and tune. It was the kind of music that makes you feel put together. It was the kind of music that makes you feel lost yet found all at once. It was the kind of music that makes you feel like nothing else matters.

I had the sudden desire to follow the sound.

I moved briskly towards the heavy wooden doors. I passed through them as if I were made of nothing and everything. My sights were met with a grand ballroom of luxury and taste. It was a ballroom of chocolate fountains, crystal chandeliers, and bustling guests.

The orchestra boomed in volume, awaiting my arrival.

I gazed down from the balcony at all the little people below. The guests gazed back at me with their faceless faces and luminescent souls. They gleamed like embers of a kaleidoscope fire, circling the center of the room where a fissure of glowing green light welcomed them home.

Home.

A memory flashed before my eyes. A man upon a pedestal overlooking applauding guests in a fancy ballroom. Mama, Bianca, and I next to him, his hand on my shoulder and a smile on his face. "Someday you will become quite the ambassador as well, _mio nipote,"_ I recalled him saying.

An irresistible feeling washed over me. I want to go home. I _need_ to go home. I stared at the glowing green fissure in wonder. An energy deep inside of me seemed to pull me towards it, like a moth to a flame.

I want to go home.

I descended the staircase and joined the crowd, dancing and losing myself to this séance of music. The orchestra played on, coaxing me towards the fissure like a lullaby coaxing a child to sleep.

A lullaby.

A memory—a sound—joined the melody of the orchestra. Mama ran her fingers through my hair as she sang me a lullaby in the midst of a storm. "Do not be afraid, _amore mio,"_ she whispered in the dead of night. "I am right here."

I caught my reflection on a silver platter. I was another ghostly ember among the hundreds of others. But I was different. I was more corporeal, brighter, and the spotless white among the painted canvas.

The shadow of concern loomed over me. Do I belong here?

Before I could think much of it, an unnamed ember of tickle-me-pink pulled me close and twirled me around, making me laugh my worries away.

The laughter echoed with the music through my very being, reminding me of a simpler time: Two children laughing—Bianca and I, as we raced each other on the pathway of the Venacian Canal, the sun never shining brighter.

Wait. The sun.

Where is the sun?

I glanced up, hoping to catch a glimpse. But before I could, another ember of forget-me-not-blue took my hand and dragged me along. The percussion sounded, the sonorous echo of drumming.

The sound was familiar.

An image implanted into my brain. The thumps of carved staffs in a land of sand. A place where the sun was still shining. A place where I was a different person. The memory was hazy, like the mirage of the desert sun.

Then it went away, making me question if it was ever real.

Is this place real?

Where is the sun? I want to see the sun.

Another memory flashed before my eyes. A sliver of sunlight danced across the living room carpet as I painted a field of white chrysanthemums on a canvas. I recalled the strange premonition I got every time I glanced at the picture, as if the flowers weren't as innocent as they seemed.

Flowers…

Wildflowers. All the wildflowers in the field.

A field of broken bodies and dull eyes. A blood red sky looming just over the horizon. An awful ringing piercing my ears. A sinister laugh taunting me, reminding me who's really at fault here. "Little Angel, why do you still fight?"

Why _do_ I still fight? I don't want to fight anymore.

I want to go home.

I danced with the other souls and laughed with them because they know how to forget. They know how to lose themselves to the music and that is exactly what I want to do. They pranced and frolicked without a care for the world. They twirled in a swirl of all the prettiest shades—the shadows of their souls and the ugly truth of the end they wish to mask.

But they are masking it well and that's all that matters.

My eyes locked with the fissure. It was so hauntingly alluring.

I want to go home.

"Nico! Nico, where are you?" Someone asked.

The words uprooted another memory. I was a little boy again, walking through a grand museum of marble and gold in the section displaying the pharaohs of Egypt. Strangely enough, I seemed to know my way around. I gripped my stuffed animal dog closer to my chest as I passed some artifacts radiating a foul energy. "Nico, where did you go?" The voice asked again.

That voice… Why does it sound so familiar?

I tried to search for the noise, but a rose colored ember grabbed my hand and carried me away. The ember carried me away to a faraway place where I can never return. The orchestra grew louder with intensity, as if it demanded my attention. I closed my eyes and obliged, letting the melody lull me back home.

"Nico?"

I opened my eyes, my curiosity overwhelming the irresistible feeling inside me. There, staring at me with a look of utter disbelief, Bianca di Angelo could only gape at me silently as glassy tears streamed down her face like falling stars.

I frowned in confusion. Why is she crying?

We can both go home now.

She walked up to me silently, her mouth set in a hard line. Her form was incorporeal and ethereal; wisps of silver light radiated off of her as if she were made of moonlight itself. Finally she spoke. "I was the one lost in the land without rain, wasn't I? That's why you wanted to come along on the quest. You planned to prevent my death."

Death? Quest? What is she talking about? My head feels so fuzzy. Maybe if I keep remembering, I'll feel better.

She hugged me and brought me close. "Nico, you must listen to me. Your soul is in a stalemate. It refuses to reside in your body, but it isn't in the Underworld yet either. Thalia and the others are trying to shock your heart back into rhythm as we speak, but the only way to bring you completely back is to bring your soul—your _life __force_ back into your body." She pulled away from the hug and brought a hand to my cheek. "You have to let me guide your soul back to your body, okay? Or else we will lose you for good. I _can't_ lose you for good."

"Bring me back? To where? I'm already going home." I pointed at the fissure of glowing green light excitedly. I turned to my sister. "We can go home, Bianca. Together." I smiled. "We can see Mama and _Nonno!"_

My sister's look of horror puzzled me. What is she so afraid of? Why is she looking at me like that?

It was only then that I noticed the shattered look in her eyes. The cracks of her soul splintering and fracturing into thousands of pieces, showing every flaw and every imperfection in a distorted mirror of madness. She's breaking inside, but I cannot for the life of me understand why. It's as if we're seeing two sides of the same world, one that is both beautiful and broken. Now, all she sees is the broken side. But why?

The maddening glint in her eyes… it reminds me of someone.

A haze of a memory overcame me. A man stared down at me from a dark throne. There was an indescribable glint of madness to his eyes, a fury so penetrating it made me want to give in and curl up until I sleep forever. He glared with seething resentment, though I had a feeling this wasn't his most terrifying glare. "Bianca would've done better," he spat.

I blinked, snapping out of the memory and regarding Bianca curiously. "Bianca, what are you doing here?"

"You don't remember, do you?"

"Remember? Remember what?"

"Nico, you _died._ You ran into the automaton, remember? Talos killed you. I felt it," she whispered as more tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

I frowned. Talos? What is she talking about?

"But I'm right here." I felt so confused. What is she going on about?

"Nico, you have to listen to me. You are _dying." _She pointed to the fissure of glowing green light. "Don't you see? The closer you get to it, the more you lose yourself to it." She gestured to my form. Tiny shards of light—like stars—fragmented off my spirit and seemingly floated in a trail of stardust leading into the fissure. "Once your life force is completely gone, I cannot save you."

"But I want to go home," I said. Why isn't she understanding? We can go home now.

She suddenly grasped the sides of my head urgently. "Nico, listen to me. The Underworld is _not_ your home. Your home is up on the surface with Percy, Annabeth, Thalia, Grover, Will, and Zoe. Not there." She pointed to the glowing green fissure once more. "Don't you remember?"

"I—" The orchestra reached the climax of the song and all of the instruments played simultaneously. I closed my eyes, relishing the sweet crescendo, but Bianca snapped me out of enjoyment just as quickly.

"No, no, no, no! Focus on my voice, not the music. I need you to remember, okay? I need you to remember me!" She searched my face frantically, as if looking for some hidden sign before wrapping her arms around me in a hug. Her body trembled as she sobbed into my shoulder. "Gods, why won't you remember? Why did you have to run into that stupid machine?! Don't you know I need you too?! Please, come back to me! I need my little brother back!"

There was something about the sound of her sobs that were evoking. The way she made you feel her pain, whether you wanted to or not. It was… _heartbreaking._ Utterly and unspeakably heartbreaking. This pain, it was a being of its own right; lurking, looming, and always there. It's the kind of shadow that would not leave your side. It's the kind of shadow that would follow you, no matter how much sunlight shines over you or how much darkness consumes you.

It. Never. Leaves.

It's the kind of pain I'm all too familiar with.

That's when the realization dawned over me. As if my eyes opened for the very first time, as if I woke from a dream, I finally understood. The rose colored lenses lifted and everything was suddenly so much clearer.

The memories came flooding in one by one.

The war. The ringing. The wildflowers. The quest. The automaton. My death.

So many thoughts were running through me all at once.

This pain… It drives me. It fuels me. It _inspires_ me. When all hope is lost, when the sun is gone, when chaos has seeped through the cracks, pain is always there. Like a shadow, it never leaves your side. It's the everlasting reminder of what you have lost, but it's what keeps you fighting. What am I fighting for? Revenge. Love. My family. The future.

Hope.

These souls have lost their pain and therefore have lost their motivation. They will never remember what it feels like to fight for what they believe in. They will forever be numb with lies and illusions. When they finally wake up, their whole world will come crashing down.

I made a terrible mistake. I should have never tried to hide the truth from Bianca. This is her world crashing down. This is her illusions shattering. Now I have to help her rebuild.

Now I have to help her remember.

"Bianca? It's okay. We're okay. I remember now." Bianca lifted her head, staring at me in astonishment. There seemed to be a silent question written on her face. I hugged her back, answering just as silently. "I'm so sorry I left you, Bia. I'm so sorry I put you through that."

"You're okay now?" She asked, sniffling.

I nodded and smiled sadly, gently wiping the tears running down her cheek. "We're okay now."

Bianca took a deep breath. "Good." Then she started hitting me. Like, full blown hitting me. "What were you thinking?! Running off into the freaking murder machine like that! _Buoni dei! _What is wrong with you?! Do you know how worried I was?! You're lucky your body was found outside of the wreckage or we wouldn't have found you!"

I grimaced in pain. "Yeah, I deserved that." I took a deep breath. "Look, I'm _really_ sorry, but I _had_ to make sure you wouldn't sacrifice yourself! As strong as you are, there was no way you would've survived that!"

"So, you thought it would be okay to sacrifice yourself instead?!" She screamed hysterically. The embers around us didn't even stir. They must have a lot of selective hearing. "Don't ever do that again or I swear to all the Gods I will drag you out of the Underworld myself!" She pulled me into a hug again. "Gods, you scared me."

I returned the hug. "Bia, you can chew me out later. Right now we need to find a way out of here."

"Right." We looked around, watching the souls dance to their doom. The orchestra played on, luring them to their new home. Somehow, the orchestra now sounded like nothing more than a sad song of farewell. Without warning, Bianca screamed, "I, BIANCA DI ANGELO, DAUGHTER OF HADES COMMAND YOU TO STOP!!"

The embers didn't even flinch. They didn't even turn our way for a second. They just kept dancing, pulling us along for the ride. I held on tight to Bianca, afraid if I let go, I'll lose myself again. "That should have worked," I mumbled.

Bianca frowned. "Maybe if we try stopping the music?"

I pointed to the fissure. "It's coming from the Underworld. We won't be able to stop it down there."

"What if we tried just pushing them—" Bianca struggled against the tide of souls. "—out of the—" I helped her shove the embers, but it was no use. "—WAY!" We ricocheted to the ground, falling with a loud _umph_.

"We need a new plan," I said as we helped each other up. If I'm a spirit just like all the others, I doubt I came here by physical means, and I don't think Bianca came in that way either.

I watched the souls dance with finesse, smiling behind their faceless masks. The music carried them along, lulling them with a lullaby of lies and illusions, wishes that they thought came true and nightmares dressed in dreams.

The music.

That's it.

"I have this idea, but it's crazy."

"The last crazy idea you had got you killed."

"This is a different kind of crazy."

"Somehow I doubt that, but shoot."

"I… I think we need to give them a new song to dance to." I looked at Bianca, a spark of hope igniting inside of me. "One that will wake them up from the trance."

"That… That might actually work. But what song can we sing? What song will work?" She asked.

The perfect song came to mind, one that was both sad but a little hopeful. It was a song I used to listen to a lot after Percy and Thalia introduced the albums to me.

I didn't answer her. Instead I held out my palm. "Take my hand."

She took it without hesitation, uprooting another memory. A pair of bright molten gold eyes among a field of dazed spirits watching me closely. A girl about my age leaning against a poplar tree in the Fields of Asphodel, her eyes sparkling with awareness and intelligence. I walked up to her and held out my hand. "You deserve to live," I recalled saying as I watched her life flash before my eyes. "Come with me. You're my sister too."

"Nico, what was that? Who was that girl?" Bianca asked wearily, snapping us out of the memory. "Was she our… our sister?"

I nodded, smiling sadly. "Her name is Hazel Levesque, Daughter of Pluto. She is, without a doubt, the most selfless and kindest person I know."

"She sacrificed herself to save everyone. Then she went into Asphodel even though she deserved Elysium to save her mother from going into the Fields of Punishment. She's a hero." Bianca's gaze was distant, as if she were trying to find Hazel among the other embers.

"I'm resurrecting her first chance I get. I don't care if you don't—"

"I'll help you," my older sister interrupted. "You don't come across someone like that everyday. Hazel deserves a second chance at life." Bianca finally looked at me. "Please, show me everything."

"I haven't been completely honest with everyone. Some secrets are too much to bear," I said looking down in shame. "But it's time you knew the truth. I was wrong to hide it from you. You need to know. _They_ need to know. I'm going to show you everything, the good _and_ the bad." I squeezed Bianca's hand. "Are you ready?"

Bianca squeezed back. "I'm ready."

I took a deep breath and began to hum the tune of the song. It was quiet, but the melody carried through the room.

Suddenly the orchestra was silent.

Suddenly every ember stopped dancing to listen.

It was nerve wracking, having every eye on me. But I can't stop. I _won't_ stop. I brought us into this mess and I'm going to get us out of it.

I squeezed Bianca's hand and closed my eyes. When I opened them, I no longer saw a ballroom of souls, instead a field of wildflowers with the backdrop of the blood red sky. In the memory, Hazel died all over again, her once bright molten eyes dulling to a deep copper—the everlasting shade of her soul. Tears slid down my cheeks as I watched my greatest moment of guilt unfold. Bianca gently wiped away the tears on my face and kept watching, even as the ringing reached its crescendo.

The scene played on and I finally sang. My voice was a high soprano delving into a certain clarity of emotion that seemed to draw you in, perhaps even more than the orchestra ever could.

_"So long to all my friends._

_Every one of them met tragic ends."_

Will. Megan. Reyna. It was if they were meeting their tragic ends all over again. Bianca exhaled sharply and put a hand over her mouth in shock as she witnessed the horrors of war. My voice cracked as I sang the next lines. I wanted to throw up with all of the fear and guilt churning in my stomach, but I kept going.

_"With every passing day_

_I'd be lying if I didn't say_

_That I miss them all tonight._

_And if they only knew what I would say."_

I'm sorry, I thought. I'm sorry for everything.

The memories flashed by. Hazel and I on the roof of Pluto's temple. The Seven and the Argo II. Reyna, Hedge, and I shadow traveling the Athena Parthenos. All the black lies I told to prevent a red war.

_"If I could be with you tonight_

_I would sing you to sleep,_

_Never let them take the light behind your eyes."_

The embers suddenly parted in a trail of kaleidoscope fire leading up to the stairs. Bianca led me through the trail as I sang. The memories darkened into the depths of Tartarus and the struggles I faced. Bianca watched in silent terror as Gaea's giants overwhelmed me and imprisoned me in a jar.

_"One day I'll lose this fight._

_As we fade in the dark_

_Just remember you will always burn as bright."_

The scene morphed into the streets of Venice, Italy. Two children laughed—Bianca and I as we raced down the path of the sparkling canal. I turned to my sister, knowing very well what comes next.

_"Be strong and hold my hand._

_Time becomes for us, you'll understand."_

The hotel in Washington D.C. emerged, two children playing tag around the marble pillar as the mother and father spoke fearfully in the background.

_"We'll say goodbye today. _

_And I'm sorry how it ends this way."_

The lightning bolt. The explosion. The ringing. My father's curse. Bianca screamed as our uncle took our mother's life and left our family in pieces. We watched as we were submerged into the Lethe and taken into the Lotus Hotel and Casino for 70 years.

_"If you promise not to cry_

_Then I'll tell you just what I would say."_

It's going to be okay, I thought.

I squeezed Bianca's hand, hoping to somehow convey the message. I led us along the spiraling path as the scene changed. Bianca becoming a Hunter, her sacrifice, and the Hades figurine she meant to give to me. Minos' manipulation, the Labyrinth, and how I kept trying to resurrect her as her ghost guided me.

_"If I could be with you tonight_

_I would sing you to sleep._

_Never let them take the light behind your eyes."_

The memories morphed into the encounter I had with Cupid. Bianca and I watched as my darkest secret was revealed. All of the pain, the shame, and disgust I felt with myself seemingly exploded out of me in waves of death and darkness. I turned my head away in fear. What is Bianca going to think of me now? Bianca squeezed my hand and smiled at me, a silent message of reassurance in her eyes.

_"I failed and lost this fight._

_Never fade in the dark. _

_Just remember you will always burn as bright."_

We finally made it to the steps. One by one, the embers reached out to us, hoping for one more dance. I could feel their anticipation, their hopes, and their dreams rolling off of them in waves. But this time, it wasn't to go home, it was to remember.

Ignorance is an illusion; a veil, a mirage, a fantasy. That's all it is. People try so hard to hide from the truth, but sometimes it's just better to face it. The truth is bitter and history is not always kind, though it is a lesson that everyone must be taught eventually.

No matter how hard you try to hide it, the truth always comes out in the end.

So I turned away from the embers because some lessons cannot be expressed in words. Some lessons you have to find out on your own, but not all of them. I glanced at Bianca, who was staring at the embers in wonder. A ghost of a smile crossed my face.

Sometimes you just need someone to help you learn it.

Bianca and I walked up the steps together. When we reached the balcony lift, I glanced back at the ballroom of souls. The kaleidoscope embers stared back at me with their faceless faces and luminescent souls. This time they weren't dancing and the orchestra wasn't playing.

The party is over, I thought. The harsh reality of the end has finally set in.

Bianca turned to me and squeezed my hand. "Let's go home."

I squeezed back and took a deep breath. The illusions have finally shattered. The bitter truth of the past has resurfaced. She knows the truth and yet, she hasn't judged me for it. Seeing my past, seeing all of my memories flash by, it wasn't easy to face, though with Bianca beside me it made it bearable. Bearable is definitely an improvement to unspeakable.

"Yeah, let's go home."

Together, we passed through the heavy wooden doors as if we were made of nothing and everything. A blinding white light filled my vision as I finally came home.

More A/N:

Right, so I told you this chapter was really different. What did you think? The song I used was The Light Behind Your Eyes by My Chemical Romance. I thought that a) listening to this kind of music would fit Nico's character, b) the song fit the chapter and Nico's character arc in general in my story—or at the very least the experiences he went through, and c) I thought it was a cool song in general. Anyway, yeah. Next chapter should be up soon! (And by soon I mean within the week.)


	33. Chapter 30:

Chapter 30: A Second Chance

My eyes snapped open to the feeling of electricity coursing through my aching body. The acidic smell of ozone burned through my nostrils. I sat up, groaning in pain. I feel like I just got hit by a bus, then a train, then erupted out of a volcano, before finally taking a nosedive into bedrock.

I looked around to find five pairs of eyes staring at me in disbelief. Thalia hovered above me, her hands sparking with electricity and raised right above my chest like defibrillators.

I blinked. "Uh, hey, guys."

Without warning, everyone minus Zoe engulfed me in a giant hug. I hugged back without hesitation, not even bothered by the sudden physical contact. If anything, I was relieved to feel the familiar embrace, and even more relieved that they could feel it back. It's proof that this life is tangible and real; bare of illusions and lies.

"You're alive!" Grover exclaimed, hugging me tighter.

"So the Demon lives." Zoe eyed me curiously from the background.

Muffled by my—_his_ ozone smelling jacket, Percy breathed in relief. "That's good. It would've been really bad if you died."

"Yep," Thalia chirped in agreement. "I almost had to make a detour to your Dad's place to remurder you, Demon Boy."

Annabeth ruffled my hair, and I noticed a bandage peeking from behind the curtain of her curls. "We really missed you, Neeks."

"I missed you guys too," I said before I could stop myself. Though I realized I really don't mind them knowing how important they are to me. I frowned slightly. I'm getting soft. Or is it just my 10 year old self taking the reins for once?

They pulled away after a minute or two, and somehow the mood darkened. But there was an eerie calm to it, a certain delayence that comes before a desert storm begins, and I knew the worst was yet to come.

"What were you thinking?!" Annabeth exclaimed suddenly, her storm grey eyes wide with hurt.

There it is.

I didn't know it was possible, but she looked like she was having a panic attack. Well, at least she's not in a coma.

"I'm sorry, but—"

"We almost lost you!" Percy shouted, chiming in. "Why would you ever do that?"

He's one to talk.

"Well, I—"

"Gods, you are worse than Kelp Head at getting yourself into trouble!" Thalia cried. "And _that_ is saying something!"

They chewed me out some more, shouting and screaming in a chorus of chaos. They kept cutting me off, as if expecting me to obediently take the heat without defending myself. Finally, I had enough.

"SHUT YOUR FACE HOLES AND LISTEN UP!!"

That did the trick. The heavy sound of silence blanketed the once blaring desert. I took a deep breath, collecting myself. "Look, I understand you're upset. I'm sorry for putting you through that. I'm sorry for almost getting myself killed, but I couldn't let any of you go into the automaton. I _wouldn't." _I looked each and every one of them in the eye. I sighed, coming to terms with the silent message of exasperation on their faces. "Knowing all of you, you would have done the same thing." I turned to Annabeth. "How long was I gone?"

She crossed her arms and frowned at me, a clear sign not all is forgiven. "No more than a minute."

I frowned, confused. No more than a minute? It sure felt like more than a minute. The only explanation for such a paradox is time must pass by faster down there—well, wherever "down there" is, if it ever existed in the first place. Was it all in my head? Was it just a nightmare to snap me out of my delusions? Speaking of which, how did Bianca find me?

Wait.

"Where is Bianca?" I asked. My voice shook uncharacteristically as an uneasy feeling suddenly washing over me.

Grover guiltily gestured a few feet away from him where Zoe, who was trying hard not to cry, was cradling Bianca's unmoving body. My eyes widened in alarm, the sight reminding me too much of a corpse. "Bianca!" I ran to her, completely disregarding the weak feeling in my legs. "Bianca, wake up!" I cried, shaking her shoulders. She isn't gone—I can feel it—but the stark paleness of her clammy skin seriously worried me. Her now ashen freckled dusted her sudden snow complexion._"What happened?"_I demanded furiously.

I can't believe this. After all the effort to keep Bianca safe, she still suffered in the end. I failed her. I ran into that stupid machine and I _still_ failed her. Why? Why do I keep messing everything up? No matter how hard I try, it never ends well for the people I love.

The atmosphere around us grew colder and somehow colorless. The shadows stretched along the barren wasteland like ink splotches on a canvas as black frost crackled across the once searing sand.

My knuckles paled in my enclosed fists as I tried to rein in my temper.

"We're not really sure," Percy said carefully, obviously taking notice of my frustration. "She passed out right after the automaton collapsed, but we think it's from the shock of feeling… well, your _death."_

I suddenly felt very sick to my stomach. Bianca heard the ringing. She felt my death. No one should have to feel such a feeling, yet, my sister just experienced it for the first time.

The messed up part? I know deep down it won't be the last.

"No, it wasn't just that," I said. My voice cracked slightly. "She was guiding my soul back to my body." I looked up, taking a shaky breath. "She saved me."

Annabeth frowned. "She guided your soul back to your body?"

I nodded. I described the dance of souls, the orchestra of lies, the strange trance it put me through, and how Bianca and I worked together to escape.

Annabeth stared at me in shock. "Nico, I think you just experienced _animarum exultant lusibus."_

"Dance of souls," Percy, Thalia, and I translated simultaneously.

Huh. Must be a cousin thing.

"It's the ultimate test for a soul. It tempts the victim with their greatest desires to lure them into the Underworld, but if they can resist the temptation—if they can escape—their soul is reunited with their body and they can live," Annabeth explained. "It's extremely rare and practically unheard of. It is incredibly hard to escape and few have succeeded. Bianca must have somehow interrupted the process and helped you through it."

I stared at Bianca, looking at her in a new light. She saved me, even after I lied to her and treated her horribly. The worst part? I didn't want to leave. In some twisted way, I wanted to die. I wanted to see my mother and my grandfather again, two people who, despite my best efforts to reminisce, are nothing short of strangers and blurry faces to me. It was as if Greed itself were whispering into my ear, promising me a life of peace and… _home_ as long as I gave in.

As long as I failed the rest of the world.

A thought occurred to me."But, why me? Why didn't my soul go to the Underworld instead?"

"Well, legend says the—" Annabeth made snipping motions with her fingers. _The Fates._"—handpick souls whom they deem worthy to give them a second chance to live. The reasons vary, but usually it's because the soul has unfinished business in the Land of the Living. If a soul manages to escape, they are rewarded a token of some kind by them."

I was about to ask how Annabeth knew about this and I didn't, but I held my tongue. Instead I twisted my finger in deep thought, realizing there were more pressing matters than my not-so-extensive knowledge of the Afterlife. I cheated death without even realizing it? The Fates thought I was worthy enough to get a second chance… _again? _

No, that wasn't a second chance. That dance… Can I even call it a second chance? It felt more like a resurrection. No, it was a resurrection. It was a resurrection of not just my life force, but of my very being. My choices, my desires, my lies, my hopes, my memories, my _entire life,_ everything unfolding in a daydream for Bianca to see. It wasn't The Fates that resurrected me, it was _her._ Bianca saved my life in more ways than one.

It was with this thought came the sudden realization of what has to be done. I felt a sense of resolution as I turned to my friends. They all exchanged nervous glances after taking one look at my face, and I knew why. This look, this feeling—it's the very same I expressed right before I sacrificed myself to the automaton. Except this time, it won't be my life I'm sacrificing.

"You need to leave."

Percy cocked his head in confusion. "What?"

"You have to get moving. We've wasted enough time as it is."

"Wait what? 'You?'" Percy questioned.

"Demon Boy," Thalia stared at me with something like fondness in her eyes. "do you seriously think we're going to leave you here?"

"Yeah, did you really think we were _that_ mad at you?" Grover inquired. He then shrugged and gestured to Zoe. "I mean, she might be, but we aren't."

Zoe perked up and glared at no one in particular. "I am not leaving without Bianca," she announced.

"No," Annabeth looked at me strangely, and I knew she was beginning to connect the dots with what I was implying. "You figured out a way around the prophecy, didn't you?"

My eyes shifted to Bianca before I worked up the courage to make my verdict. "You five must head west to the Goddess In Chains. I can't come with you. I'm not meant to." I took a deep breath. "Everything in the prophecy is beginning to come true. The prophecy proclaimed one shall be lost in the land without rain. I was the one lost this time. The prophecy also called for _five_ people to go west. There's seven of us. We are in no condition to travel with Bianca in her state, and honestly? I'm in no condition either." I subconsciously traced the swirling pattern along the palm of my hand, the burn suddenly feeling inflamed all over again.

Annabeth's eyes flickered to the scar on my left hand. "How did you get—"

"Don't worry about it." I forced myself to meet their unyielding gazes. "The point is I'm done leaving Bianca. I'm done holding back and I'm done keeping secrets. I can't do this anymore. I can't watch the people I love crumple to pieces before my eyes because of some stupid truths I can't tell. Because of some truths they figured out too late." My gaze was wistful as my eyes shifted to Bianca's still form. "I'm going to tell her everything, even if it hurts the both of us."

Percy reached out to touch my shoulder. "Nico—"

_"Don't. _You have to go. I have to do this." Percy must have seen the resolve on my face and realized convincing me otherwise was futile. He nodded, no doubt recalling the conversation we had last night.

"Be careful," he said, pulling me into a hug.

I returned it in kind. "You too." I reluctantly broke away from the hug, only to be pulled into another by Annabeth and Thalia.

"We just got you back and now it's like we're losing you all over again," Thalia murmured into the crook of my shoulder.

"It's not forever," I murmured back. "Bianca and I will meet you guys at Mt. Othrys. Zoe will lead you there. She can get you inside, but be careful. Luke will be there."

I tried to smile at Annabeth, but it came out more like a grimace. Still, she ruffled my hair, understanding the silent message of good luck. "We'll be okay and you're going to be too."

"Your optimism is refreshing," I replied dryly. I know what I have to do, but it doesn't mean I have to be happy about it.

"Good. You need it more than I do." As usual, the Daughter of Athena is correct.

"Take care, Kiddo," Grover said as he placed a supportive hand on my shoulder.

I mustered a smile. "You too." I turned to Zoe, who looked torn between staying with Bianca and getting a move on. I couldn't help but relate on more occasions than one. I walked over to her. "Hey, she's going to be alright. I'll make sure of it."

Zoe's ancient gaze was dark and penetrating. It was as if she were searching my very soul for even an ounce of doubt. She must have been satisfied because with a click of her tongue and a half-hearted scoff, she said, "Thou better, _Demon." _The lack of venom in her words didn't escape me, and the unaddressed threat didn't either.

I nodded in confirmation. "I will."

…

After they left, I gathered some loose twigs and dry shrubs to kindle a fire. It was around noon before Bianca woke up, and I decided this talk would be best with some food in our stomachs. I turned to flames, working up the words I would say for a prayer to Hestia, but, as if the flames had a mind of their own, they already summoned plates and mugs for me. Two plates of delicious baked ziti and two steaming cups of hot cocoa.

Comfort food.

Not long after, Bianca stirred in her sleeping bag, her soft snores slowly descending into even breathing. With a yawn, she sat up and blinked the sleep away. She stared at me and I stared back. It was with a pang of guilt that I recognized the look in her eyes, the very same look we now share. Her rich black irises that were once wide with innocence now slanted with anger. It occurred to me that she probably doesn't want to see the world for what it is—a cruel place full of cruel people who do cruel things. But she has to.

Long ago in a far away place, we used to race down sparkling canals and chase each other around marble pillars. We used to eat buttery popcorn and watch funny movies. We used to be happy. Now all of that seemed like a world away, and with a start I realized it was. Innocence is a funny thing. We think we can keep it and grasp it like a lifeline, but suddenly it's gone. We tempt life and we fail. This second chance that I have—it can change _everything. _A single choice, a single word, or a single action can alter the course of history as I used to know it. But this power is dangerous, more dangerous than I could've ever imagined. That much was clear when I took away my sister's innocence, all because I wanted to save her. All because I didn't want her to lose her innocence in the first place.

But really, the only way to save her was to tell her the truth before it could come out in the most horrific of ways. I don't regret what I did, and I won't regret what I'm doing now.

I held out her plate and gestured to the spot next to me around the emerald campfire. "Why don't you come sit and eat? We've had a long day," I said as she silently made her way over, grabbing her plate and digging in. "Besides, we have a lot to talk about."

She looked up from her Alfredo pasta and smiled sadly. "Yeah, we do."

And that's how I told my sister the story of how our family fell apart.


	34. Chapter 31:

Chapter 31: Little White Lies

"So it's true then? Our uncle murdered our mother and hundreds of innocent people in attempts to kill us?" Bianca asked, her dark knowing eyes distant as she traced the rim of her now cold cocoa absentmindedly. "All because he wanted _his_ children to fulfill the Great Prophecy, just to bring him glory?"

"Along with our father erasing our memories, leaving us in a magical hotel for 70 years, and ultimately releasing us in hopes one of us would one day fulfill the prophecy instead? Yeah, it is." My voice sounded hollow, even to me.

Silence. It seized our words and lodged them back down our dry throats, twisting us up inside and leaving us to the unpleasant company of our own desecrated thoughts. At least, that's how I felt. My mind has always been a place of horrors, but it was my mind alone, and I appreciated the fact that no one could penetrate it.

Now, ever since the dance of souls, ever since this conversation, ever since time traveling in _general, _all of that's changed. It's… _Frightening,_ knowing people can see the real me. My choices, my memories, and my entire being—my sister and my friends have seen _all of it,_ or at the very least, the vast majority of it. I find the very idea of them surfacing my secrets unsettling, though the sudden transparency of my weaknesses and my pressure points, paired with the fact at any given moment they could exploit them, unsettled me more. No, it terrified me. Was it because of the suspicious voice inside of me repeating the same mantra of _don't let them hurt you again_ over and over, or was it just my paranoia in general?

I scoffed internally. Does it matter? It doesn't change the fact that I'm going against all of my core principles by doing this. By telling my sister everything. No. Bianca wouldn't hurt me, she _wouldn't._ Telling her all of this? It's a _good thing_. She needed to know. Her ignorance was only going to get her so far.

"Everything's changing, isn't it?" Bianca said suddenly. She didn't say the question she really had on her mind—she didn't have to. I caught the listlessness of her gaze, the dimness of her once luminescent silvery glow, and the somber energy that seemingly expelled from inside her.

I probably wasn't much better.

I answered the silent question. "For better or worse… I guess that just depends."

She looked up, fixing her gaze right on me. There was a weight that hadn't been there before. A certain burden in her eyes that, until now, only came from a lifetime of pain. "What is he like? Our father, I mean."

"He's…" For a moment, I searched for the right words to describe a being so complex as our father. "Bitter. Annoyed. Complicated. But he cares about us in his own way."

"Is he… Is he _evil?" _

"No. Just misunderstood." I didn't feel like elaborating.

Bianca took a long sip of her cocoa. "I get that, but, in the vision of… of mom's death, I just…" Her eyebrows furrowed, and the expression strangely reminded me of Annabeth. "Nico, that bitterness Dad feels, it just doesn't add up. There's more to the story than what we're seeing. I mean, I understand that our uncle decimated all of our siblings to ensure his children would fulfill the Great Prophecy, and yes, that's terrible, but the way Dad was talking to Mom in the vision. He was so desperate. He was willing to build her a palace of gold in the _Underworld_ if it meant she would be safe. I don't think Dad's bitterness centers around the fact that we now have a lesser chance of fulfilling the prophecy." Her voice descended into a whisper. "I think it's about the death of our mom."

My eyes stung, but I couldn't understand why. It was as if something deep inside of me awakened, some part of me that knew my mother was more than a blurry face. "I think you're right." I admitted thickly. A single tear slid down my cheek before I quickly wiped it away. There's no use crying over a ghost of the past. Not one I can hardly remember, anyway.

"Do you remember her? Even a little bit?"

The desperation in her voice was heartbreaking.

"Sometimes." I stared at the fire in deep thought. "Everything's so blurry when I try to think of her," I said. "Though, I… I've been having dreams about her lately. It's like I'm seeing these memories of our lives before… you know, _it_ happened. I don't know what to make of them." I finally looked at my sister. "She was so beautiful, Bianca. Inside _and_ out, which is more than I could say for the rest of the world 70 years ago. You remind me a lot of her."

Wordlessly, Bianca put down her mug, discarded the plate, and scooted close, wrapping her still pale arm around me in a hug. We stayed like that for a little while longer, enjoying each other's company. It was like we were trying to salvage the remnants of a simple past we can never go back to. I relished the comforting heat of the make-shift hearth. The flames were a strange shade of emerald green, the kind you would only find lighten in the Underworld or the now nonexistent Cabin 13. But at that moment, they couldn't have been more relieving. "Nico," Bianca spoke up suddenly. "Tell me what Hazel was like."

I smiled, a million and one stories coming to mind. I told her about all the times Hazel and I would sit on the rooftop of Pluto's temple, talking about nothing and everything. I recalled all of Hazel's amazing sketches, and how she could make a stunning masterpiece with a mere pencil or stick of charcoal. I talked about how amazing Hazel was at riding horses, and how she once stopped a stampede of unicorns with her powers over precious metals. I even told Bianca about her blackouts, where she would relive memories of her first life. Before I knew it, I was describing the adventures of the Argo II, going into detail of our sister's innate ability to manipulate the mist.

"She took down this one sorceress and giant by creating a_full fledged maze_ out of mist magic. I've never seen anything like it," I reminisced with a proud smile.

Bianca hung onto every word, occasionally asking questions like "What's her favorite thing to draw?" and "What's her horse's name?". I didn't miss the way Bianca asked every question in present tense. The detail should have bothered me, but it didn't. If anything, it made me hopeful, knowing Bianca wanted to meet Hazel.

"Oh, and she has this boyfriend that I heard once shapeshifted into an iguana to escape Chinese handcuffs," I added. "Leo Valdez, a son of Hephaestus told me about it once."

"Wow, that's…" Bianca was too busy gasping for breath from laughter to finish. It was a nice distraction from the somber conversation earlier. "That's… Why is that so funny?" She giggled.

I snorted. "Yeah, I sometimes question her taste in guys." Leo the Elf included.

She stopped laughing abruptly. "Like your taste in guys?" She treaded carefully, as if afraid one wrong word might break me and leave me irreparable. She wasn't wrong.

The smile slipped off my face as I focused my attention on the grains of sand beneath our feet. "Yeah. Like that."

Bianca put a supportive hand on my shoulder. "Nico, I… I think that's really brave of you, feeling that way about a boy."

I frowned. "It's scandalous and disgusting," I said, the disturbing memory of my encounter with Cupid coming to mind. "There's nothing brave about it."

Bianca glanced at me shrewdly. "I don't believe you feel that way. I certainly don't." There was something in the tone of her voice that surprised me.

The last couple days, ever since Bianca joined the Hunt, she's changed. Before, the changes weren't so subtle. The aura, the attitude, the confidence—that much was obvious. Now, there was a certainty to her that hadn't always been there. Her confidence didn't come across as arrogant or fake, instead it was deeper than that. It was the kind of confidence rooted in a leader, someone who was headstrong enough to inspire not just others, but, _themselves_ too. She reminded me a lot of Percy, Jason, Thalia, and Hazel too.

A natural born leader, I thought. I finally understood what father meant when he said Bianca would've been more powerful.

She smiled reassuringly. "Nico, love is love. I won't judge you for feeling something for someone, much less a boy. I mean, yeah, it's different, but it's… it's not bad. It isn't." The way she was talking gave me the impression she was convincing herself more than me. In all honesty, I thought she was handling this pretty well. We were born in a time where such matters were deemed unacceptable and impudent. The very fact that she hasn't turned away or spit at me in disgust is relieving, to say the least. "Just promise me you won't let other people give you a hard time about it, okay?"

I nodded, reading inbetween the lines: _Don't tell them unless you trust them._ "Okay."

"So… Percy, huh?" She smirked slyly. "He's nice. I approve."

My eyes widened in alarm and my face felt hot. "Percy? No, I don't feel that way about him anymore. I've moved on."

She raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"

I sighed, exasperated. "Yes, I'm sure. He's like an older brother to me. I wouldn't want it any other way." I also wouldn't want to stand in _Annabeth's_ way, whether she's holding her dagger or not.

Bianca studied me as she took a long sip of her cocoa. With the maddening glint in her eyes, I had to admit her inscrutable gaze was slightly unnerving. For a moment, it reminded me of my father's impassive stare. "Okay," she said finally. "I believe you." I was relieved that she sounded sincere.

I nodded. "Glad to hear it."

"I'm sure you are."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"So, what's up with you and your one-man group, Will?" Bianca asked, changing the subject. I took the bait, feeling glad for a change in topic.

"What about him?"

"Are you guys friends or something? He seems nice, but his whistle almost made me go deaf. Is he a son of Apollo?"

I snickered. It would seem she hadn't forgotten about that little…Ah, _family spat._ "Was it the hair that gave it away? Also, I regret nothing."

Bianca grumbled something about how hard it was to find her weapons before she smirked. Suddenly I felt very nervous. "Oh, don't worry. I'm plotting my revenge as we speak. And no, it was actually the bow, but I guess the hair made it kind of obvious too. Also, you didn't answer my question."

A rare smile reserved only for Will crossed my face. I stared wistfully at the Arizona horizon and wondered what he's doing right now. Probably healing ungrateful demigods (aka the baboons of the Ares Cabin) or practicing archery with the rest of his cabinmates. I was surprised to find that I really missed him and his stupid nicknames he likes to call me. "Yeah," I said. "he's my friend."

"Well, I can't wait to meet him," Bianca said softly. She frowned. "Without any banshee whistles or volleys of arrows, of course."

"Of course."

Silence.

"Nico, I've been thinking…" She was reluctant to finish her sentence as she smoothed down her hair and braided it again. Though why she was hesitant, I could only guess. I gestured for her to continue. "Well, I saw the way you summoned those skeletal dinosaurs, and the green fire, and burned those skeleton warriors to crisps too. I was wondering if you could maybe—"

"No," I deadpanned, already knowing what she was about to ask.

"'No'? Why not?" She asked incredulously. "Why won't you teach me?"

"Bianca, isn't it obvious? We are the children of _Hades,_ the most feared god, the outcast, and the 'evil' god! Do you really think they're ever going to accept us? Especially if we used our powers?" Bianca eyed something behind me wearily, and I realized the shadows around us were spiraling out of control in response to my flailing arms. I sighed tiredly and banished them, trying to calm down before I blew up like a nuclear bomb in Bianca's face. Well, it's probably too late for that. "Look, I think I understand why you want to learn how to use your abilities. It's interesting, it's useful, and it will often get you out of some pretty tough situations. But, trust me when I say this: it is _not_ worth it."

"How can you say that?" She admonished me. "You used your powers to save lives! Why won't you teach me to do the same?"

"Our powers are a _curse! _What don't you understand about this? _We_ are a curse!" I shouted, utterly stunned how she could possibly be having trouble understanding this three thousand year old concept. "They fear us! They are never going to accept us! They will whisper behind our backs, glance at us in fear, and back away every time we are in their vicinity. That's what the life of a child of Hades is like, Bianca. That's what your life will be like too if you learn to use your powers."

"Who, Nico? Who would ever do that?" She asked, but I could already see the answer in her eyes.

"You know who."

"Camp," she admitted miserably, plopping herself back down in the sand pittifully. "And the Hunters. And the Gods."

"Even the mortals are weary of us," I said, plopping down right next her. "and they don't even know what they're weary of."

"Percy and Annabeth accepted us. So did Zoe, Thalia, and Grover," Bianca tried. I could almost see the tiny sliver of hope she was dangling from.

I knew from experience it wouldn't get her far.

"They'll turn on us too," I mumbled bitterly, memories and flashes of the aftermath of the Second Titan War coming back to me. "They all do eventually." I sighed again and massaged my forehead. I feel like I've aged a hundred years because of this stupid quest. Why did Artemis feel the need to hunt on her own? Better question: Why is it after three thousand years, the Gods _still_ haven't learned their lesson?

Now _that_ is the conundrum that I want no business solving.

"Bianca, I'm trying to save you from a lot of trouble. I've seen it all happen before. You do good things, you save the world, and somehow all they remember is the fact that you have deathly powers." I glanced at her, and she wouldn't meet my eyes. I tried for a different approach. "People like us… It's best for everyone if we melt into the background and watch from the shadows. They're afraid of what they don't understand. Death is not something anyone will ever come respect, even if it is one of the most necessary things in the world."

The concept reminded me of the position I was stuck in with the two camps. How it was necessary to have a mediator with knowledge of where both of the lost heroes were, and the burden of having to prevent another World War all over again. No one wants to do it, but someone has to.

"No."

_"'No'? _What do you mean no?"

"I refuse to believe no one will accept us. I refuse to believe we can't make a difference." She stood up and towered over me. I felt an air of authority to her, proving she was a force to be reckoned with. "Nico, right before you ran into the automaton, you told me to show Olympus why they are wrong to think all children of Hades are evil." I grimaced. It would seem I had too high of hopes at the time, despite everything. "We have to prove it to them. We _can_ prove it to them!" Her black eyes glittered as the gears turned in her head. I gotta hand it to my sister, no one gave her enough credit for her cunning and self sufficiency. "What if we complete quests for camp, but leave out of the fact that we're children of the Silent One? We build trust, then we reveal our parentage at the right moment."

I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. "Well, for one thing, you're a Hunter of Artemis, so you can't go on quests unless she gives you permission. Another thing, they might just turn on us the second we reveal our parentage, regardless of all that we've done for them—" Bianca made a move to rebuttal, but I held up my hand to wait. "And before you say what I think you're going to say, they've done it in the past. And finally, it might just make us look even more suspicious if we hide our parentage from them in the first place." I scoffed. "It's not like we have any sponsors like they do it in New Rome." I froze, suddenly realizing I just spouted out the solution.

"A sponsor…" Bianca pondered. "As in someone vouching for us? Do you think that could work?"

"It could work if we find somebody they trust to sponsor us, or some-_bodies."_ I said, a plan beginning to form in my mind. "Like… Like…"

"Percy and Annabeth," we said simultaneously. Woah, weird sibling telepathy.

"Do you think they would vouch for us? And Zoe too?" She asked.

"And Will. I told him about my parentage, and he's the son of the God of Truth. If anyone _can't_ lie, it's him."

"You told Will?" I nodded. "So, you trust him?"

"Yeah, I do."

"So, will you do it then? Will you teach me?" Bianca asked, and I could see the desperation in her eyes. She wants to learn, and I'm afraid I might not be able to hold back that ambition. "We can get a sponsor, and we won't use our powers in front of camp, or the Hunters."

I frowned as a thought suddenly occurred to me. The way Bianca's been talking to me, it sounded as if she were planning to stay at camp. In other words, leaving the Hunters. A spark of hope lit inside of me, though I didn't dare kindle it. I thought about asking the million dollar question, _Will you stay with me?_ But then I realized, no, why would she ever want to do that? She's got everything she's ever wanted: immortality, freedom, and a _real_ family. Why would she ever want to hang around her annoying little brother, even if I am slightly less annoying than I used to be. No, now I'm just an emotional wreck. I'm no longer annoying in a childish sense, just in an emotional sense, and _that_ is a thousand times worse. The spark of hope dwindled until it snuffed itself out.

This is how I have to live my messy life now: alone, in hiding, and sisterless. I might as well get used to it.

So despite everything, I tried to appreciate this bittersweet conversation. After all, this is probably going to be the last private talk I ever have with Bianca before she moves on to greater things in life.

I swallowed the metallic taste in my mouth and answered truthfully, "I'll teach you on one condition." She raised her eyebrows in question and gestured for me to go on. "You lay low and learn to control your aura. You hide your abilities until absolutely necessary."

Even if Bianca is moving on to greater things in life, I'm not about to leave my sister vulnerable.

"So, you're asking me to… hide a part of myself?"

I sighed. Was I this naive when I was younger? "I'm asking you to protect yourself. The more you use your powers, the stronger your scent and aura will become. You have to learn to tone it down, or people and _monsters_ will begin to notice. With the prophecy just underway, you do _not_ want to be noticed."

"What _is_ the prophecy exactly?" I hesitated and she saw it. "We're children of the Big Three, Nico. I need to know."

I sighed, knowing I wouldn't win this, and reiterated the century year old prophecy.

_"A child of the Eldest Gods,_

_Shall reach sixteen against all odds,_

_And see the world in an endless sleep,_

_The hero's soul cursed blade shall reap,_

_A single choice shall end his days,_

_ For Olympus to preserve or raze."_

"Who completed it?" She blurted out suddenly. "You know, in the other timeline?"

"Percy Jackson, Son of Posiedon did," I said. "He managed to save Olympus and lead us to victory, but we lost a lot of good demigods that day."

She nodded sadly. "I see."

We were quiet for a moment, descending into a respectful silence for the Fallen who, up until now, couldn't be saved. Silena Beauregard, Beckendorf, Michael Yew, Ethan Nakumura, Castor, and even dare I think it, Luke Castellan, who, despite everything, still died a hero's death.

They all made it to Elysium and many more followed.

I took a shaky breath, suddenly recalling the dreadful feeling inside of me when their days ended. When I heard the ringing. All the wildflowers in the field…

"Come on," I said, brushing myself off as if that would rid the cold chill washing over me. "I'll teach you some of the basics. We still have a lot of time before we have to be there."

As much as I wanted to help Percy and the others on this quest, I knew it simply wasn't my place. They have to be the Five that travel west, or the Fates will _find_ a way to knock our numbers down to five. Knowing their previous methods, staying with Bianca, alive and in good health is probably the best alternative.

She nodded as I helped her up.

…

We stood planted in the searing sand, a little ways from the campfire. The sun hadn't yet disappeared in the horizon, still high and sweltering in the evening sky. I tried to stay in the shade, but there weren't exactly many places that offered shade smack in the middle of a desert like this.

"Okay," I said, clapping my hands together. "Show me what you already know."

Bianca blinked. "Um…"

It would seem I have to try a different approach. "Let me rephrase that: Just… do whatever comes natural to you."

She nodded and closed her eyes. She held out her arm in front of her, as if she were trying to grasp something invisible. With the flick of her wrist, a rumbling sound, like the echoes of an earthquake resonated directly underneath us. I subconsciously took a step back as three chunks of uprooted rock detached from the layer below the shifty sand and floated protectively around Bianca. She opened her eyes, two solid masses of darkness in an expansive mirror of nothingness.

This is no hunter, I realized. A hunter would hunt for sport and game. The look in my sister's eyes was something deeper. An instinct that could not be blossomed by the gift of immortality, but one that's always been there. I didn't know what that instinct was, only that Bianca, and all those other well known heroes before her had it.

Power? Perhaps, though this is beyond such a thing. I've seen this look before—I see it every time the Son of Posiedon opens his seastorm orbs in the eye of a hurricane. I see it whenever Annabeth takes a monster down by scheme. I see it when Hazel deceives with a trick of the mist, or when Reyna commands the Legion with the resonance of a single word. I see it in the Seven and all of the other powerful demigods of our generation.

Potential, the word finally came to me. The potential to be great. The potential to be remembered long after you're gone. The potential to be more than a pawn, something not every demigod has.

No, I decided. Bianca di Angelo is not a hunter. She's a hero, and I have an inkling feeling she'll be remembered for a lot more than a sacrifice.

Bianca stared at the rocks tumbling back down curiously, as if doubting that she was the one that beat gravity. She glanced at me expectantly, though I had nothing to say—I think I lost the words when my older sister started making rocks float in the sky.

I opened my mouth, attempting to find my voice. When I couldn't, I tried for a smile and two thumbs up to convey the message. She beamed.

"Well," I said after a moment of stunned silence. "would you like to try resurrecting the dead? I would teach you how to shadow travel, but I don't think we have the time, unless you'd be okay with going comatose for a week. Or, you know, taking an unexpected vacation to China. Or a tree."

Bianca frowned in question. "How does one take an unexpected trip to a—"

I waved her off. "Don't ask."

"Okay…"

"Right," I said, trying to get rid of the awkward silence. "I'm going to teach you how to raise the undead. It is a very useful, very creepy, and very _taxing_ job."

"How is it taxing?" Bianca asked, not unlike how a student would address the teacher.

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. Of course she wouldn't know the meaning of taxing yet, I thought. She's been an immortal hunter for as long as she's known her other godly half. She hasn't been given the chance to expel her energy reservoirs or really use her powers.

"If you don't remember, you passed out from exhaustion right after you saved me in… Well, whatever _that_ was. Passing out isn't exactly an uncommon way to replenish energy, especially for children of the Dead," I explained. "As a child of the Underworld, you have a handful of unique perks and abilities other demigods simply will never have. For example, you can teleport just about anywhere that has shadows, which, if mastered properly, is pretty handy. If you're like me, you can also resurrect your own army when needed. Yes, it's extremely useful to be able to summon and control your own backup. But, like most things in life, if it isn't used in moderation, it will kill you."

"Like, drop dead from exhaustion?" She asked.

"Perhaps. Or, say if you shadow traveled too much, you will start to _become_ shadows." I grimaced, recalling how I once walked straight through a tree without realizing it. "Trust me, it's not a good way to go."

"I'm guessing you've had experience with that?"

I nodded grimly. "Bianca, I need you to understand what you're getting into by doing this: Like most circumstances of raising the undead, you have to realize that every time you do, you are inviting them to feed off of your energy reservoirs," I warned. "Think of it like an eye for an eye. You are summoning their help, but in return you must give some of your life in order for them to reanimate and roam the Land of the Living."

Bianca frowned, looking very disturbed by the concept. "What does 'give some of your life' mean exactly?"

"It means every time you summon a horde of skeleton or zombies, you lose a small sliver of your life force in the process. In other words, children of Hades who use their undead abilities _literally lack life." _

My sister looked at me, horrified. "That's barbaric! Why would anyone want to do that?!"

"Is it?" I crossed my arms defiantly. "Ethan Nakumara, Son of Nemesis once traded his own eye to his mother in exchange for the power to change the world. Because of his contributions to ending the Second Titan War, children of minor gods were accepted and even had cabins built dedicated to their parents at camp."

"But that's… Still…"

"All magic comes with a price, Bianca," I said wisely. "Even if children of the Underworld have unique abilities far beyond that of the average demigod, we are no exception to that rule."

"Still, I would hardly think trading a sliver of your soul in exchange for a bit of backup against monsters is a fair trade," she argued fiercely.

"No, probably not," I agreed. "Most of the time it changes you mentally, physically, emotionally… and _permanently__. _The pale skin, the sunken eyes, the mental exhaustion… The list goes on. Half of the time raising the dead is what makes most of our siblings go insane. Though, the isolation and fearful glances definitely contribute."

"Is it worth it?" She asked. "Trading a silver of your soul to use your powers?"

"You tell me. I see you've already gotten a taste of what it feels like, if the manic eyes and pale skin is anything to go by."

"Saving you was worth it," she answered irrefutably. "But fighting monsters? That's debatable." She wrapped her arms around herself even though the breeze was still warm. "How do you do it? How do you raise the dead over and over, knowing you're giving up a part of yourself to them?"

I twisted my finger, pondering the question. "It takes a lot of willpower and a lot of getting used to. Once you do that, it gets easier." When I realized Bianca wasn't going to reply, I continued. "Look, I—"

I was interrupted by an eerie clattering sounding just behind us. With wide terrified eyes, I shared a quick glance with Bianca. Her eyes seemed to emit the same message: _They're here._

We whirled around to face them; at least ten ghostly pale humanoid figures stalking towards us with shotguns in hand and hollow caverns for eye sockets. Their jaws clattered in unison, as if laughing at our misfortune and shortsightedness. I cursed myself for my stupidity as I backed away to Bianca. How could I forget about the skeleton warriors? Better question: How could I forget I was wearing Percy's jacket… with his _scent_ on it?

"We should get out of here," I suggested. With my knife undergoing the unfortunate fate of being crushed by a gigantic sparkly machine, and Bianca's taxing rescue from the dance of souls, I knew we were both in no shape to fight, least of all a horde of skeleton guards who couldn't take a hint and just die already.

"We can't," she said simply, her dark eyes still fixed on the enemies.

"What do you mean we can't? Of course we can!" I exclaimed. "It's called shadow travel!"

She glanced at me out the corner of her eye. "And then what? We can't keep running from them, Nico. Better we face them now then have to worry about them later."

I sighed and bit back a retort. She's right, of course. Inviting them to join the party at Mt. Othrys can't be practical, especially if these guys don't go down easily. But how do we kill the undead?

I raised my hands in front of me, a feeble attempt to defend myself with power I wasn't even sure my 10 year old self was capable of yet. Maybe I can summon an obsidian wall and make a run for it? Before I could act, however, Bianca was already on top of it.

She raised her arms and whirled them around in a complex maneuver I've never seen before. It was like Bianca was weaving an invisible web of threads only she could see. Just as abruptly she yanked her hands back, and out came spiky stalagmites from the ground. It was one of the most magnificent displays of power I have ever seen. Like roots—no, _branches_—the stalagmites threaded themselves through every crook and cranny of the bony stalkers, ensnaring them and containing them in a prison of earth that had become _a part of them._Spikes of earth seemingly grew out of eye sockets, rib cages, even joints, winding around them and keeping them still.

To put it simply, my sister just grew skeletal trees of earth in a matter of seconds.

The skeleton warriors dropped their weapons and twitched sporadically. I had an inkling feeling they wouldn't be following us anymore.

"That was…That was _awesome!_That must have been an attack power that was worth 5,000 _with_ saving throws! Did you see that, Bianca?! You just did this weird spider web move and then _bony earth trees grew! _That was so awe—" I stopped talking abruptly, suddenly realizing I was sounding like a hyperactive 5 year old with a sugar high… Or, Leo Valdez with a sugar high.

I turned to my sister, surprised to find a small smile on her face. A tear ran down her cheek. "Bianca? Are you okay?"

She sniffled and wiped it away. "Yeah, I just… I thought the little brother I used to know was gone."

My eyes widened. "Oh."

She started to fidget with her braid as she looked away. "I uh… I don't know how I managed to do that." She gestured to the bony earth trees she grew.

I studied the skeletons. Their hollow eyes seemed to bore into my soul, and their bones rattled invariably before finally settling in eternal stillness. They looked like one of those skulls on a stick, the kinds of warnings civilizations of the past used to make a point. I smirked. These warnings clearly meant: Don't mess with children of the Underworld.

"You've got potential," I said without thinking.

"Potential? Potential for what?"

I smiled knowingly. I walked over to my bag and pulled out some nectar, taking note that it was almost all gone. "Here," I said, handing over the canteen to her. "Drink this. You'll feel better."

She took a swig out of the canteen and color returned to her face. "Thanks."

I glanced out at the horizon. A pale pink sky basked in a honey glow. "It's almost sundown. We need to leave."

Bianca's eyes trained on the horizon. She handed me her silver hunting knife, her eyes still on the magnificent view. "Here, take it. You're going to need a weapon."

I frowned. "How did you know I'm missing my knife?"

She smiled wryly. "Call it sisterly intuition."

"Sure," I drawled.

"But, seriously, we really do need to get going." She fixed her gaze on me. "What's going to happen when we get there? With the prophecy, I mean."

"I don't know," I replied quietly. "With how this quest has been going down, anything can happen."

She nodded. "Whatever happens, let's stay together, okay?"

I didn't mention the fact that we _can't_ stay together, not when she's a Hunter of Artemis. Still, I nodded, because sometimes the truth hurts too much to acknowledge. Some lies are white enough to pass off as snow.

I smiled, despite everything; the war, the wildflowers, and the broken bloody world. "Okay."

A/N:

Hey guys, this chapter took a pretty long time to write, but I felt it was necessary for, you know, character development and sibling bonding. Also, I know the whole concept about giving some of your life to raise the dead is inaccurate and not cannon, but I thought it would be an interesting detail to the story, so I wrote it. I hope all of you are staying safe and quarantined!


	35. Chapter 32:

Chapter 32: I Receive a Complementary Care Package of Doom

The shadows warped around us, black tendrils of darkness snaking around our wrists before engulfing us whole. Bianca stifled a gasp and I squeezed her hand tighter. I closed my eyes, welcoming the familiar chill seeping into my bones. The whispers of lost spirits and forgotten ghosts echoed in the shadow realm. They called out to us, but we didn't dare call back. Tempting wandering souls was none of our business, after all.

I thought I heard Bianca ask something, or maybe she was screaming, but whatever happened, it was lost to the darkness. Then I sensed it. The trickling of my energy reservoirs, leaving me drained and exhausted in mid jump.

_I can't keep going,_ I thought in a rush of panic. _We're not gonna make it._

Suddenly, I felt someone tugging at my control. I don't know how, but I knew the force wasn't hostile. If anything, it felt familiar.

I glanced at Bianca, suspecting she developed some natural affinity for shadow travel without my guidance, but, to my surprise, I barely got a reaction. Aside from the shut eyes and pale face, nothing screamed _I learned how to shadow travel! _Then again, I'd be a little worried if Bianca decided to take the reins quickly. Shadow traveling to China and smack into walls is my default to failed jumps; with raw power like her's, I would rather not find out what her default is too.

We landed in a concealed corner hidden behind ruins, and it wasn't long before I realized exactly where we ended up at: Mt. Othrys, the lair of Titans. I silently thanked whoever just saved us a lot of time and energy, though I decided from now on I'd be watching my back more closely. I silently observed the scene playing before us as I took a bite out of some ambrosia, and I was glad Bianca understood the intangible message passing between us: _Don't make a sound. _

"You are fools to come here!" a humongous beefed up man in a sharp suit glowered. His words resonated within the mountain, vibrating inside of me. "Are you so delusional that you think you can challenge _me, _Atlas, the great Titan?" He barked a laugh. "I have held up the weight of the sky! You are dirt beneath my feet compared to that wretched punishment."

"We'll stop you!" Grover surprisingly cried before bleating nervously. He's braver than most people give him credit for. Though I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. After all the things he's faced when finding children of the Big Three, I'm impressed he isn't a moping mess like me.

Bruised, shackled, and seemingly exhausted, Artemis kneeled, hoisting up the sky as a quiet determination burned in her luminous eyes. Percy stood by the entrance with Riptide gripped in his hand, his sea green eyes uncharacteristically dark. Thalia stood protectively over Annabeth—not that she needed it—both of them in a fighting stance. Grover seemed to be supporting a sickly pale Zoë, though she seemed as if she could fare without it. I noticed small claw marks raked along her side, and they seemed to occasionally drip a nasty green puss that sizzled like acid as it hit the rubble.

I focused on her for a second, concentrating. Then I heard it: A faint ringing.

Zoë Nightshade is dying.

My eyes widened as the realization sinked into my bones: Another causality. Another wildflower among thousands of others.

I glanced at Bianca, and by the look of her identical expression, I knew she felt it too.

"Luke," Thalia said, and I don't think I've ever heard so much sorrow and misery in her voice, "don't do this."

It was then that my attention was drawn to the treacherous demigod standing next to a glowing sarcophagus and hordes of dracanae. His scar was more eerie in the shadow of the golden light, and his eyes looked lost somehow, as if he thought all the sins he committed was because he had no choice.

"Family, Luke." Tears collected in Annabeth's storm eyes, but she couldn't have looked fiercer. She stepped forward, a futile attempt to bring back a boy that was never there to begin with. "You promised."

A pained expression crossed the Son of Hermes' worn face. "We can still have it. The three of us, just like old times because Lord Kronos has offered something to me that we can share."

_Revenge__. _An aspiration Luke and I disgustingly shared.

He treaded closer, his cold eyes trained on Annabeth and Thalia. "Revenge against the Gods for wronging is. For ignoring us. For using us. Under Kronos' rule, everything will change. Gods will receive the fates they deserve and demigods will receive the respect they deserve. Join me. Help us change the world for the better. _Please." _The desperation in his voice almost made me pity the scumbag.

Almost.

I wasn't sure why, but Thalia and Annabeth seemed to seriously consider his words.

Percy scoffed. "You think the world's going to be better under _Kronos'_rule? You think after thousands of years of being locked up in the deepest depths of the Underworld, suddenly the Titans are going to welcome you with open arms?" Percy spat on the ground, a sight I've never seen until now. "You disgust me. You had your whole life ahead of you. People used to look _up_ to you. You were a _hero, _Luke." He stared at Luke like he was covered in sewage and vermin.

I've seen some of those looks. They are not pleasant.

Luke brandished his sword despite his tired face, a subtle warning of his impatience. "And you think the Gods are ruling any better? We're their _pawns, _Percy. They play us then throw us away like chess pieces once we're chipped." A bitter laugh escaped his lips. "Serving Kronos is the most worthwhile thing I've ever done. It is my _honor_ to fight by his side." He turned to Annabeth and Thalia. "Join me. Or he's going to destroy you too."

Bianca edged closer, annoyed by the idiocy around her, but I held her back. We shared a look.

_Not yet._

"Enough," Atlas growled. He then smiled victoriously, as if the odds weren't against him with 4 children of the Big Three and a terrifying daughter of Athena in the same room with him. "Soon our great army will storm Camp Half-Blood and the invasion will begin. Mt. Othrys will rise again in a new era and the Gods will be squashed beneath my feet in the puny insignificant forms they deserve." he gestured to Artemis' exhausted form. "They will know what it feels like to bear my curse for all eternity."

Luke risked another step forward and held out his hand. "Thalia, _you_ are the child of the Great Prophecy. You can summon the Ophiotaurus." His eyes shifted toward a small pool of dark water near an opening in the chamber before settling back on her. "Please, this is all I ask of you. Help me change the world for the better, just like old times."

The Ophiotaurus… I forgot about that. Thalia's eyes glazed over as if she were imagining the harrowing life she could leave behind, and for a terrifying moment I really believed she chose Luke over the world.

"No!" she answered with the force of a freight train, crashing out of her daydream. "I won't stand with you! This… this is wrong. You're wrong. _Everyone_ is wrong! And I'm going to make it _right." _She stared at Luke as if he were dead and ashened in a ceremonial shroud. In a way, the Luke she knew died a long time ago.

"Then you have chosen wrong," the Son of Hermes announced with a cold stare, and all traces of desperation were gone. Then I noticed it: The way his icey eyes glittered with deceiving charm in the torch light. His gaze was so sharp, so cold, yet so deep, like a crystallizing frost that you were sure to trust, sure to stand for, only for it to shatter and bring you down with it. I distantly wondered if this was the look that made so many demigods lose their way. Were these the eyes that numbed them and drowned them with broken promises of revenge long before the murky waters of Manhattan ever could?

I glanced at Bianca, an unspoken agreement passing between us. She nodded, coiling back her bow and arrow, while I took the liberty of shadow traveling behind the enemies with my knife at the ready. The shadows flickered around me, but Atlas and Luke hardly seem to notice. If anyone noticed, it was Percy, as his eyes locked right on mine, the warning understood with absolute clarity: _Be careful._

Atlas chuckled darkly and the mountain rumbled. "I will enjoy obliterating you weaklings with my bare hands," he said as he cracked his knuckles, "and I will enjoy teaching my worthless daughter respect even more."

Nervous glances flickered toward Zoë, but her regal face betrayed no fear as she held her head higher. "No, Father, it will be _thou_ who learns respect."

Atlas growled and stalked closer, raising his hand, and I took that as my que to make my appearance known.

In an instant, I clambered on top of the Titan and drove my knife through his back, raking it from the neck down. He shrieked—in outrage or agony, it was hard to tell. Bianca flew into action, another catalyst of the battle, shooting arrow after arrow at any and all targets, a rain of silver flurries against the golden glow. The others joined in with a battle cry, and for a moment I almost believed we had the upper hand.

Then Luke charged at me with Backbiter and I decided that raking a Titan into ribbons was not worth being raked in return. I rolled out of the way towards the wall, away from the cold bronze of death and the poisonous talons of… well, _more death. _

"WHO DARES INTERRUPT US?!" The Titan bellowed, his regal face contorted manically.

I felt powerful when I noticed my once silver hunting knife was now stained gold and bellowed back a retort, "YOUR BANES OF EXISTENCE, YOU NEANDERTHAL!!"

I don't really know where the insult came from—probably picked it up from one of Athena's campers insulting the Ares cabin—or why I even screamed it, but I know it _definitely_ felt good.

I couldn't hold back the sigh from escaping my mouth. I was so impressionable when I was 10.

"I think we should've planned ahead before rushing in like this," Bianca said as she released an arrow that pierced a nearby dracanae in the eye.

"Wait, you guys came here without a plan?" Grover squeaked next us before bringing his reed pipes to his lips and conjuring some pesky rocks to life.

"Well, we assumed Annabeth had a plan that we were just going to follow once we got here, but as you can see that didn't work out," she answered as she slashed another screeching dracanae.

"Well, Nico makes plans too!" He exclaimed, throwing me under the bus.

"Since when have my plans or our plans, for that matter actually _worked?"_ I argued, rolling out of the way of a pair of killer talons. "We plan, we get there, all hell breaks loose. It's a vicious cycle, really."

Bianca nodded distractedly and said, "That I can agree with." Then she ran off to help the others.

I surveyed the scene before me: Thalia and Luke were neck to neck in a sword fight, eyes blazing, lightning cracking, neither showing signs of backing down. Percy and Annabeth were tackling Atlas—like most things they do—together. But from the looks of Percy's sluggish blocks and Annabeth's inability to get closer to the Titan, I knew they wouldn't last long. Bianca, Grover, and Zoe were taking care of the dracanae and other hordes of monsters in the chamber, and it was only then I noticed the storm brewing outside of the expansive window of the mountain.

Ships upon ships of monsters and rogue demigods crawled along the shores and beaches, and my heart sank. Kronos' army has already begun war preparations, and the Gods haven't even worked up the courage to acknowledge Kronos' return in the first place.

The thought strayed my attention to the kneeling Goddess in the corner, her silver clothes tattered, her breaths labored. I glanced at my friends and family, the people who were fighting for their lives as I stood helplessly in the background. A twinge of panic arose inside of me. _Help them,_ a small voice inside of me said.

But I can't. I have to help Artemis. I have to trust my friends can save themselves.

I did the sensible thing and made a hasty attempt at shadow travel to the Goddess across the room.

I spilled out of the shadows, startling her. "I have to get you—"

I yelped in surprise and ducked, narrowly missing a swing to the head. "Who in Hades are you?" Luke demanded, thrusting Backbiter towards me. I would have smirked at the irony had I not been seconds away from being skewered. "And how did you get inside unannounced?"

_Good,_ I thought. _So, he probably didn't see me shadow travel._

I went on the defense, blocking Luke's blows with my tiny hunting knife, but I didn't have the strength I used to have. He was overwhelming me, and my desperate attempts to roll out of the way were getting old. "The answer may surprise you," I said, gritting my teeth, the pressure of his sword bending my weapon ever so slightly. Dimly, I noticed Thalia hunched over at a nearby rock, unmoving with a nasty blow to the head. He must have gotten lucky, almost nothing can stop the reckoning force of a pissed off Daughter of Zeus. "What did you do to Thalia?" I hissed.

"What I had to," he replied shortly. He whirled around, but I anticipated the attack and returned a nasty cut to the arm in kind. "Where did you learn to fight like that?" He asked, and I wasn't sure if he brought it up because he was trying to distract me or if he was genuinely curious.

"Does it matter?" I tried a different approach, seeing as I was at a disadvantage with a small knife versus a 4 foot long sword. I began to wave my knife frantically and without pattern, dodging this way and that, figuring it would be harder for Luke to anticipate my blows.

"Who's your Godly parent? You don't look like most demigods I've seen." It's true. My looks are rather strange compared to the average demigod. Eyes like mine haven't been seen in over 70 years, and my features at first glance gave no indication I was a child of Hades. But once I buy a proper wardrobe after all of this is over, perhaps it will be a little too obvious.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He brought down a particularly hard blow and I stumbled. I cursed in Ancient Greek and regained my footing, dodging more swiftly this time. I can't handle this much longer, and I knew he knew it too.

He smirked and said, "Your aura is awfully powerful for such a young age. Who knows, maybe you're the son of an Olympian."

I snorted and rolled around him. "Unlikely."

"You know, we could use someone like you among our ranks. Someone who has extraordinary power to help bring about the future. Someone who's also been scarred by the Gods," he said conversationally, but all I could think about was how he could possibly have known.

His words broke my concentration and I staggered to the ground, but not before my knife shattered with an eerie _crack_ under the strain of his sword. My mouth went dry, my eyes wide as pure unfathomable terror coursed through me, and I knew as well as he did that I would be joining the wildflowers soon.

_I failed,_ I thought as I stared into his dangerous ice eyes.

"My offer still stands," he said not unkindly, but I could hear the edge in his voice, sharp like his sword; the silent message as clear as daylight: _Join me or die._

I swallowed the lump in my throat and fumbled blindly for something to defend myself, but the best weapon I could find was a rock from debris and maybe a small shard of the broken knife. I glimpsed at the others, hoping to catch their line of sight, hoping they would save me, but they were all preoccupied and wearing thin from the battle.

"They can't save you," the Son of Hermes whispered, reading my mind, "but I can."

My thoughts were reeling, but I tried to collect them. Think, Percy and Annabeth are still busy with Atlas, and the others are taking down the remaining monsters left. I can't use my powers unless I wish to announce to the enemies that there are more children of the Big Three than previously thought, and Thalia is out cold—Just then I noticed her stirring quietly out of the corner of my eye. Time. I just need to give her time to beat Luke so she can free Artemis and they can defeat Atlas. But who will bear the weight of the sky in the meantime?

"You're right," I whispered, figuring the only thing I could do now was keep Luke talking. "I have witnessed things no other demigod should witness, and I've had the unfortunate courtesy of watching the Gods do absolutely _nothing_ about it," I admitted bitterly, and I wondered how much more my soul could take before I became just like this selfishly evil, insidious _thing_ in front of me. My hand miraculously found a familiar hilt hidden in the shadows, and my breath almost caught in sheer surprise.

My face betrayed no emotion as I continued, "I'm going to get my revenge. Not on the monsters because even they aren't monstrous enough for this. Not on the Gods because they would have no clue why. Not even on _you, _Luke Castellan, the catalyst who started it all. No, only _they_ deserve such a fate for such a crime, and I'm going to give it to them. I _promise._ But I'm going to do it on my _own_ terms; not on yours, not on Kronos', not even on the Gods'." My hand grasped the hilt, and I felt the power surge through me, all my rage and confusion of the last few days fueling it. "I will _never_ join you!" I screamed, lashing out my sword with the force of an earthquake, and I could've sworn the mountain shook. I kicked him clean out of the way and scrambled to my feet.

Distantly, the sensible part of me wondered how my stygian iron sword could possibly be right here in my grasp.

_If a soul manages to escape, they are rewarded a token of some kind by them, _Annabeth's voice resurfaced in my mind.

The dance of souls. This might be my reward—my _token_ for escaping it.

_Um… thank you, to whoever gave this to me,_I thought in my head, hoping whoever it was got the message.

Thalia groaned, probably waking up from the noise, and immediately grabbed her spear, joining the fight once again. Luke clutched his chest where I nicked him, and even if it wasn't super deep, the stygian iron in my sword would make sure it hurt like hell.

He stared wide eyed at my pitch black sword, bewildered by what he was seeing. "Is that—"

"My complementary care package of doom?" I finished for him, hoping he wasn't reaching the mind-boggling conclusion of my parentage. "Yes. Yes, it is."

Before he could choke out a reply, Thalia tumbled into him, shield and all, looking ready to _murder_ someone. "We're not finished yet, Luke," she seethed as a spark crackled along her spear.

"You have fun with that," I said, but she was already halfway across the room in a deadly dance with Luke before she heard me.

I turned my attention to the rest of the enemies in the room: The chamber, once a place of cold black ruin was now caked with golden dust, but I knew that wasn't the last of the monsters. Atlas was still as strong as ever, though I hoped not strong enough that he couldn't be put back in his place. I saw the occasional rock coming to life, or vine grappling the Titan's ankles from the cracks and crevices of the once beautifully carved stones. Blurs of silver seemed to inhumanly glide along the black marble like it was ice, and it occurred to me that two demigods were missing from the scene.

Oh Gods, they _didn't. _

Raw and undeniable horror struck through me as I stared at the corner where Artemis was only moments before. Unshackled, but still very much trapped, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase held the weight of the sky.

I cursed in about 4 different languages—Ancient Greek, Italian, English, and even Latin—and I knew Bianca would shove a bar of soap in my mouth in utter appall if she heard me.

My eyes flickered between my friends who were probably going to be crushed to death and my friends who were _definitely_ going to be crushed to death. _Choose,_ the small voice inside me said. _Who will it be?_

"I—I can't," I whispered. I felt like bursting into tears right then and there. Percy and Annabeth are kneeling for their lives, their souls ticking away by the second, and the sister I just saved is neck to neck with an all powerful Titan who is thirsty for vengeance, not to mention some of my other friends are with her too. But they have a Goddess fighting alongside them while Percy and Annabeth only have each other. As much as I hate to think about it, Bianca and the others have a fighting chance. Percy and Annabeth don't even have that luxury.

So, I took a deep breath and did the only thing I could do. "Bianca!" I shouted, hoping she could spare a split second of her attention. She glanced up, her arm still coiling the arrow back. "Catch!" I threw my sword over to her, figuring at the moment, she would have more use for it than I would.

In an instant, she dropped the bow and caught the sword, and it was like this black fire of certainty alighted in her eyes. Despite the terrible circumstances, I smirked and nodded encouragingly. I mouthed the message I wished to tell her, the only thing I was completely sure of in this unknowing, dangerous world. _You're ready._

She smirked and nodded back.

I didn't stick around to see what she would do next as I was too busy mentally preparing myself to carry the most heavy thing in all of existence with my friends—no, my _family._ I smiled slightly, the detail seeming important enough to correct.

"Percy! Annabeth!" I rushed over to them, sliding along the black marble. They barely looked up, both of them looking more fatigued than I've ever seen them, their sweat dripping in small pools beneath their bowing heads. Gross, I had time to think before I slid next to them and underneath the sky.

"Nico… what… what are you doing?" Percy panted, his sea green eyes distant and unfocused. Every word that came out of his mouth looked painful.

"Nothing you wouldn't do for me," I replied, staring wearily at the cloudy mass above me. I had to admit, for all of its burden, it was rather beautiful in a strange and mysterious kind of way. Clouds upon clouds gathered into a solid entity at the peak of the mountain, unseeing with the eyes of millions of twinkling stars.

But there was a price for such beauty; a curse to hold it up, to keep it from reuniting with its forbidden lover that is the treacherous Earth, and from decimating thousands of unsuspecting lives.

A price I'm willing to pay for the sake of my family.

"No, Nico," A very pale looking Annabeth managed to choke out, "it'll kill you." Her once sun ray hair was dulled and matted with dust and grime, and I wasn't sure if some of those greys were powdered with rock or strain. But a silent storm swirled in her eyes, a silent reminder she would never stop fighting the odds against her.

I managed a pained smile. "Probably. But I won't let you two do this alone. If there's a chance I can take some of the burden off of you—even a little bit—I'll take it."

"Don't do it!" They both shouted simultaneously, but I doubted they could stop me, even if they tried to kick me out of the way. I raised my hands, took a deep breath, and _literally_ touched the sky.

I gasped at the enormity of the burden and stumbled into a hasty kneel, my knees digging painfully into the cracked stone, an imprentation of Atlas' millenniums of struggle. It was like weight I had never felt before. It was so heavy, like I was lugging a thousand Giants on my back who were each lugging a thousand pounds more. My arms shook violently and my breaths came out in short sputtering gasps, but I refused to let go. If a whining neanderthal like Atlas can hold this thing for thousands of years, I can hold it for 2 minutes.

"You shouldn't… have… done that," Percy gasped, and I wasn't sure if he was reprimanding me or pitying me. At this point, what's the difference?

I didn't answer, all my energy seemingly stolen from me, and it was all I could do to keep upright before my back could snap in two.

"Yield!" I overheard Thalia scream near the bay window. There, with his back to the cliffs high above the seashore, Luke Castellan was quite literally inches away from death—front and behind. With every jab of Thalia's crackling spear, his grip on it lessened.

"We can still get our revenge, Thalia. _Together!"_ The Son of Hermes cried, and I could see it in his frost eyes that in his delusionally twisted mind, he wanted revenge more than he wanted her. So much that he was willing to give up everything for it—even his own family.

Some wicked part of me wondered what_I_ would be willing to give up for revenge.

The Daughter of Zeus shook her head frantically, her eyes squeezed shut, as if it was too much for her to witness the boy in front of her. "No. No, we can't," she whispered. She shoved aegis towards him and Luke backed further towards the ledge.

"Yes, we can!" He pressed. "All those times we cursed the Gods, all those lonely nights together—Thalia, we can have the _world._ We can remake it by our _own design," _he said, and if I didn't know he had plans of ending the world, I would've thought his words sounded innocent enough. "You and me, Thalia. Just you and me."

She snapped open her eyes, and I thought I saw lightning spark within them. "What we had is long gone, Luke. The boy I used to know is long gone," she said, finally looking the traitor dead in the eyes. What she didn't seem to notice was the dagger Luke was sliding out of his belt with his other hand.

Suddenly I heard a familiar ringing sound, and adrenaline surged through me, the fatigue temporarily forgotten.

I was about to shout out a warning, but someone beat me to it. "Look out, Thalia!" Zoë warned from on top of her father's shoulders where she was attempting to wrestle him down.

So many things happened at once I was barely able to comprehend what was happening; In a split second, Thalia stabbed Luke in the gut with her spear, shoved him away from her like he was just another monster she's faced—which he was—and over the ledge he went, Thalia barely dodging a dagger to the heart in the process.

Zoë, temporarily distracted from the exchange happening near the cliff, noticed her father's next blow all too late.

Like a bug crawling on his shoulder, or a speck of dust ruffling his crisp suit, Atlas swatted his daughter away, and she hit the cave wall with a sickening _crack._

"ZOË!" Bianca screamed at the top of her lungs, and Artemis had to hold her back from checking on the lieutenant, or she would've joined her friend at death's door.

Suddenly the ringing reached a crescendo, and it was with a heavy heart that I realized who it was for. Zoë Nightshade's time is almost up, and it would seem even in another timeline, she will always be the one to parish by a father's hand.

I looked away from the lieutenant of Artemis' stilling form, tears threatening to fall from my eyes because no matter how much I wouldn't admit, she was my friend too, and the crushing failure to save an innocent person's life weighed too heavily on my heart—a sinking sensation I have a terrible feeling I'll have to get used to.

"I'm sorry," I whispered miserably, but I could barely hear myself over the ringing. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you too."

Just then, yet another rumbling—like an earthquake this time—shook the fallen castle, and I lifted my head in surprise to witness my sister on her knees, my sword lodged in the rock beneath her, the black fire of certainty burning even brighter in her penetrating gaze. A scream of anguish reserved for only the inconsolable escaped her, and to my utter astonishment, a skeletal hand bursted out of the ever growing fissures in the ground. The entire room was bathed in the eerie emerald light of the Underworld, and Bianca basked in it, her silver aura overtaken by the light, looking more in her element then I've ever seen her.

Everyone else in the room looked just as stunned as I felt—especially Atlas, to my amusement—but the only thought running through my head was that the cat was out the bag now and we might as well make the best of it.

So, I mustered up strength I didn't know I could spare and shouted Bianca's name for the second time that night, hoping to give her some words of encouragement. "Bianca!" She looked up momentarily, her hair fanning around her face like luminescent skeletal butterflies. "Give him… give him hell for me, will you?" I asked breathlessly.

She smiled devilishly—and even _I _was a little unnerved—and obliged, yanking the sword out of the stone, and with it came the skeletal eruption of her despair. Hordes of the undead clattered to the surface and circled the Titan, all at the brush of Bianca di Angelo's command, and distantly, I wondered if this was how I looked to the view of an outsider. Did I look this awesome when I was raising the dead, or just a scrawny kid trying to play King?

"Who—What are _you?"_ Atlas asked incredulously, and the smug superiority of his regal face seemingly vanished in thin air, and raw horror took its place.

"I am Bianca di Angelo, Hunter of Artemis," my sister answered, brandishing her sword, "but you can refer to me as the Daughter of the Underworld."

_Well then,_ I thought. _The cat is_ shredding _the bag now._

The look on Atlas' face was the equivalent of the phrase: _oh, Styx._ "A daughter of Hades? Another child of the Eldest Gods?"

Bianca's eyes flickered to mine for a millisecond. I mouthed a safer answer, and I sincerely hoped she could lip read. "No. _Thanatos__. _I am a daughter of Thanatos," she claimed hurriedly, and it sounded convincing enough.

I prayed Thanatos wouldn't be offended by the false claim, and I prayed my father wouldn't be offended even more.

Atlas didn't look so convinced. "We shall see about that."

Bianca shrugged and the undead soldiers brandished their own decaying swords. "I guess we will."

Then the fight began. Bianca launched herself at the Titan and the skeleton warriors followed her blindly. Grover ran over to Zoë, and I was grateful to see that she was still hanging on to the sliver of her once immortal life that hadn't yet fallen into Death's grasp, though I knew it was only a matter of minutes—certainly less—before Death finally claimed her. Artemis joined Bianca's side and shapeshifted into seemingly a hundred different forms in mid-battle; a deer, a gazelle, a tigress, an eagle, a bear, even a woodpecker that… well, pecked at the Titan's eyes. Thalia charged into the fight too, but the guilty glance she made towards the cliff didn't escape me.

I heaved and stumbled a little, and I felt terrible that Percy and Annabeth had to quite literally pick up the slack.

_Get a hold of yourself,_ I reprimanded myself internally. _You chose to do this. Besides, this is nothing new. You've faced worse before._

Tartarus made sure of that.

Sparks flew and shadows danced along the walls, all while various animal noises from roars to meows sounded in the haze of emerald light.

"You have imprisoned me and harmed one of my hunters," Artemis hissed in between transformations. "You will pay dearly."

Atlas threw her against the wall, which she promptly ricocheted off of it like it was no big deal, and used the momentum to kick the General back. He stumbled. "Oh, please!" He barked. "You made it too easy!"

My hair stuck to my forehead uncomfortably as fat beads of sweat rolled down my jaw. I watched Bianca and Thalia fight in the most epic team up I've ever seen since Percabeth; it was like they were in a deadly dance of music only they could hear. Very rock, heavy metal music, or maybe more classic indie rock? They sliced and diced in synchronization, and when Thalia unveiled aegis in Atlas' sight, Bianca came barreling in with her soldiers by her side, slashing the general's suit until it looked about as dapper as a dumpster fire.

Thalia met Bianca's gaze, and something passed between them. My sister nodded, and my cousin kneeled in front of her, angling her shield in an odd position. My eyes widened as I realized what they were planning.

_The final act, _I thought dimly through the pain.

Without another word, Bianca was sprinting over to Thalia like her heels were on fire and leaped at a height that was impossible for the average demigod to reach. She landed on aegis, in which Thalia responded by launching the shield—and my sister—through the air. Bianca seemingly floated in midair, and it was like she had these ravenish angel wings that she soared with, ascending from deep down below to deliver a message.

She finally landed, impaling her sword right through the shoulder Atlas used to toss his own daughter. She whispered so low I could only understand by reading her lips: "That was for Zoë."

Time sped up again and she yanked the Stygian iron out of his shoulder, an unearthly cry of protest sounding from the General. The Daughter of Hades shoved him towards Percy, Annabeth, and I, but it wasn't enough. He merely staggered, his gigantic hand pressing his shoulder, and chuckled darkly. "That was quite the show you put on, Daughter of _Thanatos."_

Bianca heaved and panted, looking even more exhausted than I felt, and I knew she was done. Like Atlas commented, she put on a show alright, but every show must end eventually. Thalia and even Artemis seemed tired, and suddenly the idea of spending the rest of my short miserable life upholding the sky didn't seem so unrealistic.

Just when I thought we were all out of tricks, something amazing and terrifying happened: An unidentifiable helicopter hovered just beyond the cliff, aiming its humongous guns right inside the chamber of ruins. By the looks of it, Atlas looked just as confused as everyone else.

A wryly man with tousled blond hair and thin wire glasses stuck his head out the window. "Annabeth?!" He shouted into the chamber. "Annabeth, are you in there?!"

She sputtered out a reply from next to me. "Dad?! What… Are you…" she heaved, "doing here?!"

"Hi, Mr. Chase!!" Thalia and Grover greeted in unison. Percy looked like he wanted to say something as well, but was probably too exhausted to.

I don't know what I was expecting from Annabeth's dad: A complete nerd, a bum who couldn't express his feelings, or maybe even a first-class jerk, but it was not this.

"I came here to help my daughter!" He announced like a crazy person to no one in particular. "Who do I need to shoot?!"

_If only all of our dads acted this way,_ I thought gloomily. For a moment, I tried to imagine Hades wearing an aviator jacket and goggles, soaring the skies in a fighter jet, and bombing evil Giants and pesky Titans while screaming, "WHO DO I NEED TO KILL?!"

It was a weird thought.

"The Titan, Dad!" Annabeth wheezed, and I hoped her dad knew the difference between a Titan and a demigod. "The Titan!"

Everyone but Atlas had the common sense to back away from him and against the walls as Mr. Chase clambered back inside his helicopter. I was too exhausted to even wonder where he got that thing.

"Guys," Annabeth said, turning to us. "When I…" She groaned under the strain of holding the sky, "give you the… the signal… _move."_

"Will do," Percy answered distractedly.

I nodded tiredly, though I wasn't sure if she saw me.

Mr. Chase fired up the engine and slid some goggles over his face, and I could only catch the expression of utter horror on Atlas' face before Mr. Chase went to town.

To put it into words: It was _glorious._

A stunning masterpiece of a Titan being overwhelmed by the sheer firepower of an insane mortal helping his demigod daughter in any way he can. Bullet after bullet bounced off of the general's suit, forcing him further and further back as he sputtered in outrage—but there was nothing he could do, there was nothing he could hit, there was nothing he could throw. A shining example of how strength wasn't everything, Atlas might as well have been swallowing his pride and his victory with every pellet of celestial bronze finding its way into his mouth like disgraceful dog food.

Now, _that_ was the way to end a show.

Atlas was inching closer and closer to us, and I wasn't sure which the Titan would impact first: A bullet, or us. I _really_ didn't want to find out.

"Now!" Annabeth exclaimed, and somehow we found the strength to roll out of the way just as Atlas was forced under the sky. I breathed a sigh of relief as I felt the burden leaving my arms. In every sense I felt _free__._ Free from the weight of a thousand giants each lifting a thousand pounds, free from the burden of a curse that was not my own to bear, but not free from the crushing sensation of another wildflower, the shade of luminous silver joining the field.

Zoë. Is she okay?

But I didn't need to look to know—I could sense her depleting life force just fine. Still, I tried to stand, but I collapsed before my feet even lifted from the ground. "Nico!" Bianca exclaimed and ran up to me from her place next to a very pale lieutenant.

Dimly, I noticed the skeletons crawling back into the closing fissures of the ground. The room returned to its normal dim light, but the sarcophagus was nowhere to be seen.

"M' fine," I mumbled, but it didn't take a genius to know I wasn't. I leaned into my sister's arms and took deep breaths, trying to slow my heart rate.

"No!" Atlas shrieked like a child who had been denied a toy, his master plan flushing down the drain all in one night, but we paid him no attention. The only thought I spared him was he got less than what he deserved.

She gave me the last of the ambrosia because we both knew Zoë wouldn't be needing it where she was going. She didn't mention the fact that I might as well have had a death wish for bearing the weight of the sky—we were both too tired to talk about it. Instead she set the sword aside and pulled me into a hug, and I think both of our shoulders became wet with tears.

The sword, I noticed, turned into a silver skull ring with ruby red eyes, and a burst of contentment rushed within me. I smiled and I reached out, grasping it with my remaining energy. It was familiar and calming as I twisted it therapeutically on my finger, like this anchor that was grounding me in this strange new life, and I was glad to have it back.

"You… you took the weight of the sky for me?" Annabeth asked Percy, and I came to the conclusion that even in a new timeline, some things never change.

"Of course," he answered irrefutably. Dimly, I noticed both of them had a matching streak of grey in their hair, like they were touched by moonlight. Their eyes flickered to me, but I already knew what was coming next.

I held up my hand. "Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it later. Right now, we have to get to Olympus before the war meeting is over."

"The boy is right," the Goddess of the Hunt announced. "Our window of opportunity is nearing to a close." She waved her hand, and ribbons of moonlight concentrated into the space in front of her, transforming into a beautiful silver chariot that seemed to brighten in the gaze of the moon. "Climb in."

Annabeth turned to her father. "Dad, I'm—"

"It's all right, Honey," he reassured her. "Just remember you'll always have a home with us, okay?"

She nodded, and I pretended not to notice the tears in her eyes. "Okay."

"Now go!" He shouted, firing up the engine and flying away. "You have a war meeting to catch!"

We didn't wait to watch him leave, all of us clambering into the chariot, Bianca carefully helping Zoë in, and I felt guilty seeing the Lieutenant of Artemis reduced to this delicately feeble shadow of the strong inspiring huntress she used to be. I laid my head on Annabeth's shoulder as I sat in between her and Thalia. As we soared into the starry night sky, I noticed a shopping mall beneath us just off the boardwalk, and a delicious chocolate scent seemed to linger from a café in the area.

Who knows, maybe I'll stop by the café when all of this is over.

…

We made a pit stop just outside of New York, the view of another one of its many bridges bathed in the vibrant neon lights of the city, though they seemed dimmer than normal, as if they felt death in the air too. The ringing was becoming unbearable now, and I noticed it was bothering Bianca's contorted face, it was bothering her as well.

We all got off and set Zoë gently down on the grass, her time nearly up. Her regal face, once a deep bronze was now ashen grey, and her dark eyes lacked their usual fire.

All of us stood at a respectful distance as Bianca and Artemis said their goodbyes. "Zoë, my faithful and loyal Huntress," Artemis said, "I will miss you, old friend."

"Please, don't go," Bianca choked out in between tears. Zoë merely smiled sadly and wiped her tears.

"Alas, it is time," the lieutenant breathed. I sensed a thousand lifetimes in her voice; all of her happiness, misery, and regret unearthed beneath the light of the stars, and I wondered if I would ever live a life as fulfilling as her's.

"Indeed," the Goddess agreed mournfully.

Zoë gazed up at the night sky in wonder like it was the most stunning sight she had ever beheld, and it would seem death had that effect on people; even as your eyes were closing eternally, they opened wide to the beauty they never payed attention to, for death was the callous reminder of all that was taken for granted, all that was too overlooked. But something told me Zoë Nightshade hadn't taken it for granted at all.

"Zoë—" Percy said.

"Stars," she whispered. "I can see the stars again, my lady."

A single tear slid down Artemis' cheek. "Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful tonight."

I saw thousands of stars dance within her eyes, and I wondered just how many of them Zoë had seen in her lifetime. "Stars," she whispered again.

The ringing suddenly became white noise, and I lowered my head, stifling a sob. I walked over to Bianca and held her as she cried.

Artemis slid Zoë's eyes closed, and whispered a blessing of some kind. Suddenly, a wisp of silver exhaled from Zoë's mouth—her soul—and flew into Artemis' hand. She blew it like a wish from a birthday candle and it flew to the sky, vanishing.

The stars burned brighter now, and a newly formed constellation gleamed in the night sky. It looked like a figure of a girl coiling back her bow, and suddenly this childlike wonder overcame me as I stared at it.

"Let the world honor you, my Huntress," Artemis declared. "Live forever in the stars."

**A/N:**

**Hey guys, I know it's been a while since I've updated, but my life has changed a lot lately, and I needed some time to adjust. To make it brief, it involves a divorce with my parents, my sweet sixteen, an AP exam, and accidentally throwing my cat's mouse toy into the hole above our stairs (don't ask why there's a hole). Now, I'm in a much better place and thank the Gods that stupid AP exam is over (not that it should have ever happened), and quite frankly, I would really appreciate it if I didn't get a pity party over this. I understand there are people out there who are suffering a whole lot more than I am, and really, there were a few silver linings for me. For example, my little brother started reading the Percy Jackson series :)**

**Moving on, I wrote an extra long chapter because I wanted to make it up for leaving you guys in the dark for an entire month. I will make this explicitly clear: if I plan on abandoning this story or putting it on hiatus, I will make it official with an author's notes. That being said, I am definitely _not _abandoning this story any time soon, and two or three chapters from now, the sequel will commence. Also, I absolutely love writing this story, and I feel grateful everyday to be able to share the weird storylines going through my head with you guys. Oh, and I realized I've been spelling Zoë's name wrong this entire time!**

**So, that's pretty much it. Please keep yourselves safe!**


	36. Chapter 33:

Chapter 33: I Listen To Some Gods Awful Elevator Music

Well, my week has really transformed into quite the dumpster fire. But I guess that's what happens when you get attacked by genetically mutated monkeys, chased by degenerative numbskulls, pounced by deranged fur balls, and the works.

My legs were about as shaky as gelatin, and my arms demoted from chicken to chick all in the span of two minutes. Percy and Annabeth, I noticed, looked _rough,_like they were roadkill left out too long in the middle of the highway. In the corner of the elevator, Grover nervously chomped on a tin can, while Thalia, arms crossed over her chest, glared at the vent above us like it had personally wronged her. Bianca was quietly sniffling next to me, and I knew we were all thinking about Zoë.

I twisted my skull ring, but I found little comfort in its cool presence on my finger. So instead, I closed my eyes, trying to tune out the lingering echo of ringing in the back of my mind, though it was difficult.

Five minutes ago, Artemis ditched us simpletons for the high life back on Olympus without as much as a thank you. "Ride the elevator," she said. "Listen to the horrible playlist my idiot brother hand picked, it'll distract you." Or at least, that's the gist of her instructions.

Yes, the elevator music was distracting.

No, it was not distracting in a good way.

To put it simply, the sounds of baby goats dying and dreams being crushed blasted out of the speakers in various tunes, ranging from what I thought was Korean Pop to the crescendo you would hear in a movie right before someone gets murdered by a serial killer.

So, in other words: It was terrible, and it took all of my willpower not to punch the speaker right then and there, though I doubted I had the energy to do it.

"So," Annabeth said, "how should we break the news?"

"Like we always break the news," Percy answered matter-of-fact-ly. "We rush in the middle of the brink of an apocalypse and say it. Usually what we have to say is more important than what they are discussing."

I nodded. That's a very valid point.

Thalia snorted. "Agreed. Brutal force is _always_ required."

"I mean, we are talking about the Olympians here," Grover chimed in, temporarily taking a break from attacking the poor tin can. "Isn't there a way to be a bit more… _respectful? _So, you know, we don't get smited."

I scoffed. "Respectful is knocking our tiny little fists against their humongous door and waiting to see if they say, 'enter.' We don't have that kind of time."

"Oh, good sirs and ladies," Thalia jeered in a perky British accent, "may we have a moment of your precious immortal time to spare you the details of your potential and very likely retirement?"

Percy gasped dramatically. "But you mustn't! I have a very pressing appointment I must attend to where I smell all of the burnt offerings my children have gifted me!"

"Alas," I sighed theatrically. "My conscience is much too busy monitoring any and all demigods, smiting them into dust bunnies when they disrespect me behind my back, as I lounge on my throne of gold."

Annabeth was rolling her eyes and muttering insults under her breath, while Grover was shaking his head. But I could see the small smile he was trying so desperately to hide.

"Yes," Thalia agreed. "I must attend to the mounds of prayers I received from my children ages ago. I sure hope they didn't die from my incompetence."

"Oh, look, a nymph!"

"Why, what a very small 20 foot statue of me!"

"Oh, another one of my hundreds of demigod children just arrived at camp? Who cares?"

"Oath, you say? I'm immortal, you fool! It is beneath me!"

"ENOUGH!" Annabeth shouted, putting her foot down, and I thought we knew better than to get on her bad side. I guess not. "I am not about to be smited in a freaking _elevator_ while listening to crappy music because of you three. Knock it off or I will smite you _myself."_

All three of us gasped out apologies in between giggles, my ribs aching from the lack of oxygen, and it occurred to me that I haven't had a good laugh like this in a long time. Well, I guess life is just a little less miserable when you're laughing at it.

It was silent for the rest of the elevator ride, the laughs long since expelled out of me, and the hollow feeling settling in. This life, this obligation—it's _killing_ me inside. All these people, all these demigods' lives depend on me and they don't even realize it. The truth is, I'm not sure what to say. I'm not sure how to tell this story how it really is. The enormity of what I have to do is weighing in on my soul and I don't know much more it can take. How am I supposed to break the news? How am I supposed to look the Gods in the eyes and tell them exactly how the world refused to fall?

How am I supposed to tell them their little toy soldiers couldn't win their war?

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I don't think I've ever felt this nervous in my entire life. Telling Annabeth, Bianca, and my friends in general was nerve wracking, but it's nothing like this. Those incidents seemed so small and insignificant compared to now.

The elevator doors opened with an odd screeching noise for such a grand entrance, and Bianca put an arm around my shoulder instinctively as we entered a new world.

Olympus, as per usual, was unequivocally gorgeous to the point where it was gaudy. Rows of perfectly trimmed trees lined the roads which were dotted with perfectly good-looking sculptures disguised as nymphs and naiads who all lived in a perfectly bubbled town of lavish and gold. In fact, everything looked so perfect it came across as disturbing and unnatural, like one of those horror movies where you step into a perfect world, only to discover everything is trying to murder you. Above it all, overlooking everything was the majestic palace of the Olympians. It's grand columns of clean cut marble looked more intimidating than pretty, and unlike my father's palace which was dark and elegant, Zeus' domain was nothing short of blinding and flaunting.

Next to me, Bianca was staring at everything in awe, a reminder she's still new to the not-so mythological world of Gods. Grover was smiling kindly like the good fellow he is at all of the nymphs and naiads whispering about us foreigners, while Thalia silenced them with a generous amount of dagger glares. Percy and Annabeth walked a little ahead of us like they were tour guides, which I guess was understandable—they have been to Olympus more than most demigods to stop the end of the world.

I pretended to squeal like an overly excited hyperactive 10 year old because that's what overly excited hyperactive 10 year olds like to do. Though internally, all I could think about was the Greek equivalent of Hell was still nicer than this place.

We reached the humongous gold doors, which were inlaid with carvings of brave heroes and shredded Gods and their amazing civilization. I stared at the carvings, wondering just how much of the horrors of our lives they decided to leave out.

The answer: All of them.

"You guys ready?" Percy asked, staring down the door.

Thalia exhaled sharply, her eyes trained on the sky, as if she were hoping some other God would save her. "No. Let's do it."

Annabeth nodded. "Open the door, Seaweed Brain."

Next to me, Bianca began to fidget with her braid, eying the door nervously. I held her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia shoved the heavy golden doors, and into the Kingdom of the Gods we went.

…

The throne room was a lot more intact than I remembered it. The last time I was on Olympus was on the day of the Second Titanomachy, when Kronos' army laid siege on Manhattan. The throne room looked like a mirror image of my father's in the Underworld, except inlaid in gold instead of silver, and carved in white marble instead of black. 12 uniquely grand thrones encircled the room, the biggest being in the very center, a humongous golden throne that seemed to glower in its own right. It no doubt belonged to Zeus.

Next to his throne, I saw what looked to be the only modest chair in the room: A collection of low slabs of grey sea stone inlaid with coral, sea shells, and sea stars. It's simplicity was interesting to look at without being too showy.

The man dressed in khaki shorts and sitting in the modest throne gazed down at us demigods curiously, the rapid conversation between him and the other Gods ceasing as soon as we walked in the room. His seastorm eyes had a proud look in them as they lingered on Percy, and for a moment I wondered what it would be like to be a son of Posiedon. If I wasn't deathly afraid of the ocean, I thought it would be pretty cool to breath underwater and talk to fish, but I wasn't about to admit that to anyone.

"Demigods?" Hera jeered, a look of disgust on her face as she stared down at us from her weird peacock feathered throne. "They have come unannounced! In the middle of a meeting of all times…"

A murmur of agreement broke out between the other Olympians as they shifted uneasily in their thrones, as if they too knew something sinister was stirring in the shadows. I noticed Artemis sat straighter in her throne when she saw us, and I was glad that at least one of the Gods seemed to appreciate our quest.

"Silence!" Zeus boomed. "Let us hear what they have to say." He smoothed the cuffs of his suit and adorned a smug expression as he regarded his daughter. "Thalia."

Her eyes crackled dangerously as she glared at her father. "Zeus."

I cringed at the awkward greeting. And I thought I had dad issues.

"Uncle Zeus, you have to listen to—"

Annabeth interrupted Percy with a hard nudge to the side. She gave him a look.

He sighed a little too loudly. With a clenched jaw, he bowed respectfully, and all of us reluctantly followed. Zeus looked so freaking proud of himself when we did so, though the only thought racing through my head was that he didn't deserve our respect. It made my blood boil when we had to give it to him anyway.

"Right, so… Kronos is rising, and plotting an invasion on Camp Half Blood as we speak with an army of monsters and rogue demigods," the Son of Posiedon explained bluntly. "Your suspicions of the Titan King's resurrection were correct."

The humongous throne room erupted in confusion, and Zeus looked like he was about to say something, but Annabeth surprisingly cut him off, much to my amusement.

"Percy's right," the Daughter of Athena said. "The Lord of Time has been working together with his general, the Titan upholding the sky at Mt. Othrys."

"And Luke Castellan, Son of Hermes—well, he _was."_ By the look on Thalia's face, she was less than thrilled to confirm his death, and the pained look on Hermes' face wasn't so thrilling either. But something inside me told me the confirmation may be too soon.

"Artemis was captured, my Lord," Grover added respectfully, "and we rescued her from Mt. Othrys by going on a quest."

Zeus frowned at the Satyr and turned to Artemis questioningly. "Is this true?"

The Goddess of the Moon nodded. "Indeed, Father. I sensed a great stirring—one that I have not felt since the days of the Titanomachy. Alone, I hunted the only creature powerful enough to end Olympus. But I was captured before I could find what I was searching for, and forced to bear the punishment of that lily-liver oaf, Atlas."

The God of Thunder's frown only deepened as he submersed himself in a rapid conversation with the other Olympians in Ancient Greek. I could only catch a few words: _Father, Ophiotaurus, _and _war._

We all exchanged a few looks, and it was like we were engaged in a silent conversation, but not quite. Though I think they were thinking the same thing I was: Is Zeus finally considering starting war preparations?

"Lord Zeus," Percy broke in, his patience wearing thin, "you need to begin war preparations or Olympus won't survive!"

Zeus huffed like a stuck-up child. "I will not be told what I can and cannot do by an insufferable demigod!"

"Brother…" Posiedon warned, his grip on his trident tightening.

"Dad, for _once_ in your immortal life," Thalia hissed, "actually try listening to what people tell you."

"Mother, please!" Annabeth turned to the grey eyed woman with a stern face, the only sensible Olympian in the room. "You've seen the signs, you've seen the proof—the wisest course of action now is to begin preparing for war!"

Thalia nodded, her arms crossed. "I've seen their army with my own eyes. Monsters, rogue demigods, mortal weapons—the works. If we don't act now, we will be obliterated."

"And the sarcophagus!" Grover exclaimed. "Don't forget about the sarcophagus!"

"That was Kronos inside there, wasn't it?" Bianca said miserably, and I knew she was still thinking about Zoë. "I could sense something horribly _wrong_ whenever I was near it."

"We don't speak his name within these walls, Hunter," Dionysus chided, not even looking up from the magazine he was reading. "Then again, you would make a wonderful bottle of Chardonnay."

Artemis glared at the pudgy man lounging in his grape vine throne. "Are you threatening one of my hunters, Dionysus? Because if you are, you would make a lovely jackalope, or perhaps a tiny little beetle I could squash under my feet."

Dionysus turned a page of his magazine, not even fazed, and I wondered just how many times he's been threatened by the Moon Goddess. "I'm merely stating the obvious—she really would make a nice Chardonnay," he drawled. "And besides, you should take it as a complement, it's one of the better classes of wine."

Artemis merely scoffed, rolled her eyes, and muttered, _"__Men."_

"Well, the demigods are telling the truth," Apollo confirmed as he adjusted his shades, "and the future definitely isn't looking too good either. We should probably listen to Barnacle Beard's son—they _did_ save my baby sister."

I could only stare at the Sun God, stunned, because I wasn't convinced he could help us anymore than he already has. But it would seem the Sun God was full of surprises.

_"Twin_ sister," Artemis corrected, though not with her usual venom. "But yes, Apollo is right. A storm is stirring—another war is approaching."

Zeus allowed himself an ounce of hesitation. "Athena, what do you advise the best course of action to be?"

The Goddess of Wisdom's calculating eyes roamed over us for a moment before finally stopping short on Annabeth. Athena smiled proudly and said, "I believe my daughter was correct when she advised we begin war preparations." I didn't miss the fact she blatantly left Percy and the rest of us out, even though we had a say in it too. "If what they say is true—"

"Apollo _just_ said so," Percy muttered sassily under his breath.

Athena glared pointedly at him before continuing. "—then gathering our army and our resources must be done immediately if we are to ever gain the upper hand against the enemies. We can start by summoning the Ophiotaurus and ridding of its entrails before the creature's demise becomes ours."

Zeus nodded thoughtfully and gestured to Posiedon. "Brother."

With a wave of the Sea God's hand, a pool of water materialized in the center of the throne room, and in it, a creature that looked like the cross between a cow and a mermaid swam happily around. I had to admit, for being prophesied as a creature of mass destruction and the catalyst of the end of the world, the Ophiotaurus was absolutely adorable. It made me wonder if the most innocent of creatures really were the ones that caused the most damage.

The God of Thunder spared one look at it. "Kill it."

"Wait!" Percy ran in front of the Ophiotaurus, shielding it while it swam obliviously. "I won't let you hurt Bessie!"

The room fell into a stunned silence. That was unexpected. Or, it should have been, but I knew Percy long enough that it wasn't such the case. After all, with that lopsided grin of his, it's hard not to underestimate him.

That's the mistake most of Percy Jackson's enemies make.

"Percy," Posiedon finally said, "did you… did you name the Ophiotaurus _Bessie?"_

"Yeah, I did." He glanced fondly at the Mermaid Cow before taking a deep breath. "Bessie is completely harmless. She isn't hurting anyone and she likes swimming around. Don't kill her. There has to be another way."

Posiedon blinked. "But son, this is the Ophiotaurus. If we don't kill it, someone worse will."

"Why does there have to be any killing at all? Why can't she just co-exist peacefully with you?" The green-eyed demigod reasoned. He crossed his arms stubbornly, and I thought it was one of his braver feats. "Look, all Bessie wants to do is live her life and swim around in peace. Have any of you considered she can just swim around in a little bubble of water up on Olympus, within your line of sight?"

The suggestion sounded reasonable enough, but the Gods aren't known to be reasonable beings. Everyone observed the scene in interest as Percy and his father argued, and I think this is the first scenario of a god being a parent they've seen in a long time.

"Percy," Posiedon said, grinding his teeth, "this is the _Ophiotaurus—"_

"I know what Bessie is," the Savior of Olympus interrupted calmly, and Posiedon looked about ready to explode like a bomb shell on his son. "What I'm asking is how good has your security gotten since Zeus' master bolt was stolen?"

"Well, that's… that's actually a very good question." The Sea God turned to the idiot on his left. "Brother, what do you have to say about this?"

Zeus looked flabbergasted by the question, but managed to regain his composure. "Why, Olympus has been equipped with the most top notch security of the century!" He boasted. "There is nothing powerful enough to invade this fortress!"

"And by century you mean _last_ century," Hermes grumbled like a child not getting his way. He huffed. "If you would just order the new security system—"

"Hermes, for the last time we are _not_ ordering that incompetent excuse for an alarm!"

"Husband, please!" Hera cut in, placing a delicate hand on Zeus' arm. "It will prevent _situations_ that may occur in the near future!"

I almost scoffed. And by situations she means _lockdowns._

"Just admit you don't understand how to install it and read the owner's manual!" Hermes shouted.

"I will _not_ bow down to such defeat!"

"You already have!"

"Right," Percy interrupted _again__._ "So, what I'm hearing is you need to update security around here. I'm sure Hephaestus wouldn't mind helping…" He turned to the God of Forge, and the burly man shrugged indifferently. "Also, we should take into account that _certain individuals—"_ His eyes flickered to the God of War cleaning his rifle in the background, "not that I'll say any names—have _out_-vaded Olympus, so security should work both ways."

Annabeth frowned in confusion and muttered, "Seaweed Brain, 'out-vaded' isn't a word."

"Well, it should be," he muttered back, "because it's a thing."

She casted him a weird look. "I think the word you're looking for is '_escaped.'"_

"ARE YOU TELLING ME HOW TO DO MY JOB, YOU INSOLENT SEA SPAWN?!" The King of the Gods boomed, his bolt raised at the ready. Next to him, Posiedon nearly jumped out of his throne in a storm of rage while all of us tensed, holding our breaths.

"Yeah. This is the part where you take notes."

I groaned and smacked my forehead. "For the Gods' sakes."

For the moment, Zeus seemed too shocked to respond, and it suddenly occurred to me that Percy doomed us all because he couldn't keep his big mouth shut. Is it so ironic that the Savior of Olympus may have just indirectly extinguished all of humanity? I took a good look at Zeus' bulging face. His nose hairs flared ridiculously and his beard quivered like it had a mind of its own.

With a King of Olympus like ours who can't even fight his own wars? No, maybe not so ironic.

"Thalia Grace!" Artemis exclaimed so suddenly, her voice cut through the horrific tension like a knife. "Please step forward!"

It took about a second for me to register the Goddess of the Hunt just saved us from Zeus' wrath.

Thalia hurriedly made her way to the front of our little possy, and I didn't miss the way she shoved Percy behind her. "Lady Artemis?"

The Goddess side glanced at her still shocked father for a millisecond before continuing. "I have witnessed your skill and your worth in the heat of battle. I have seen your courage at its best, for not only have you braved your enemies, but you have also braved old friends. You have the spirit of a true huntress, Thalia, and I know it is not your intention to be the child of the Great Prophecy. I am offering an alternative. Do you, Thalia Grace, Daughter of Zeus, accept my offer to become not only a Hunter, but also my lieutenant?"

Thalia hesitated, looking like a deer in the headlights, but for the first time ever, I saw a glint of hope in her crackling blue eyes. She glanced apologetically at our cousin. "Percy, I—"

"It's okay, I get it." He smiled reassuringly, but an unorthodox emotion churned in his sea green eyes: Fear. "You want to live your life free of the prophecy. I totally understand. Do what you got to do."

Then she glanced at me, and I could see the apology on her face. I nodded in agreement with Percy. "Our lives are too short to spare second thoughts, Pinecone Face. Believe me, I know. If you see an opportunity like this, take it. You might not get another chance."

"Do you really mean that?" She asked, and I realized she wanted her freedom more than she wanted her glory. Before all of this, Thalia avoided the Hunters of Artemis like a plague. Now, I wondered what changed her mind. Was it because of the prophecy? Zoë? The quest in general?

Percy, Bianca, and I shared a look, an unspoken agreement passing between us. "Yeah," Bianca answered with a brave smile, "we do."

I noticed Athena's eyes flickered between me and the other raven haired demigods in the room, and I knew she was starting to unearth the 70 year old secret that should have stayed buried. By the looks of it, some of the smarter Olympians were too.

"Annabeth?" The Daughter of Zeus asked, and I had a feeling there was a silent conversation being discussed between the two demigods.

The Daughter of Athena smiled reassuringly. "I'll be all right, Thalia. Go. Live your life how _you_ want to. Not how everyone _expects_ you to."

Thalia was about to say something, but her father interrupted her. "Thalia? Why would you choose the Hunters over glory?" Zeus sputtered, bewildered that his daughter was choosing her own life over _his_ glory. "You can earn your place among the greatest of heroes. You can earn immortality—"

"All of which she has already earned," Artemis cut in impatiently. "Thalia Grace, do you accept?"

"I haven't known peace since… since Half Blood Hill," she admitted, and I suddenly noticed just how tired her electric blue eyes looked. "But now I finally feel like I have a home. For the first time since I can remember, I finally feel at peace." Her gaze fell on the Son of Posiedon. "I believe in you, Percy. You have the best moral compass I've ever seen, which is why I _know_ you won't fail Olympus. You'll _save_ it. You're a hero. You will be the child of the prophecy."

Despite the praise, Percy never looked paler.

"So you accept?" The Goddess asked.

"In honor of an old friend, I accept," Thalia answered, and she gazed upward towards the grand ceiling, but I knew she was trying to see the sky. "One more thing. Call me Thalia. _Just_ Thalia."

"That can be arranged." She turned her attention to the Daughter of Athena next to us. "Annabeth Chase, my offer still stands to you as well. We can always use more strong and capable girls such as yourself."

Next to me, Percy tensed, and I knew he was feeling helpless because there was nothing here to fight except words.

With her storm eyes trained on the Son of Posiedon the entire time, Annabeth spoke her verdict. "Lady Artemis, with all due respect, I have to decline on your offer. To me, there are more important things in life than immortality."

I smiled, knowing exactly what she was implying. Artemis and the others—except Percy—seemed to know what she was implying too.

"So… you're not joining the Hunters?" Percy asked weakly, and I realized, even now, the thought of her leaving him was really eating him up inside.

Annabeth smirked and nudged his arm playfully. "I'm sticking with you, Seaweed Brain, whether you like it or not. Anymore stupid questions?"

"Annabeth—"

"My decision is final," she interrupted her mother coldly.

"Then it is decided," Artemis announced. "Please step for—"

"Actually, I have something I'd like to say." All eyes turned to Bianca as she fidgeted with her braid and looked away. A mysterious shadow crossed her face as if she were guilty of something. With clenched fists and wide eyes, she looked up and said, "I… I don't want to be a Hunter anymore."

My heart skipped a beat.

"B—Bianca?"

She smiled. Instinctively, she wrapped my loose scarf around me and ruffled my hair. I stared at her, eyes wide, words choked in the back of my throat, my breath quickening because everything's changing now, and I don't know if I can keep up.

I should be happy. I should be glad. I should be ecstatic. My sister is choosing me over them, a possibility I never in all of my years thought would occur.

So why am I not?

I had a plan. I had a goal. The framework. I was going to follow the framework, make subtle changes, push anyone I needed to in the right direction, and watch in the shroud of the shadows as the new timeline unfolds. But Bianca's choice is something I never really anticipated, never really considered. How exactly is her presence going to change the timeline? Will her ability as a child of the Big Three save it, or only complicate things? Is this really a risk that can be taken?

"Why?" It was all I could ask without betraying my doubts.

She smiled that thin smile of her's and said, "You need me more than they do. And I… I need you more than I need them."

Her words were like a key that unlocked this secret I never knew I had inside me. _Bianca_ _needs me, _I thought. _After everything we went through, Bianca needs me._ _But more importantly, she can see that I need_ her.

Suddenly all of my doubts about the future vanished into nothing. Suddenly all that mattered was the girl with the floppy green hat standing beside me. Suddenly I didn't care that the future might have just been saved or screwed over by a single choice because now, Bianca is going to be there with me through it all.

"Bianca, are you sure you want to do this? I support you either way," I said, "but I want to make sure this choice is something you want out of happiness and not necessity."

I want to make sure this choice isn't about me, but her.

Wordlessly, Bianca reached for a familiar figurine in her pocket, and she stared at it sadly, a few tears brimming her dark eyes. "What's the use of living forever if you aren't living at all?"

I thought back to the time I was younger and witnessed Bianca's death via dream. The feeling of dread and loneliness only masked for so long underneath all of that denial because some part of me knew my older sister was dead. Now, the tables have turned, and I realized my sister didn't want to lose me like I lost her. Or maybe she realized just how precious life is, and just how quick you can lose it. I wasn't completely certain why she made the decision to leave the Hunters, but I knew she wanted it for herself. To me, that's all that matters. Still, fear bubbled inside of me. Would I ever be able to give her the life she deserves? Will she live long to enjoy it?

But then I realized for all of life's unpredictability, that's what makes it enjoyable. By experiencing all the terrible moments, they make you cherish the happier ones. Then the thought made me question if Bianca ever had any happy moments with the Hunters to begin with.

The image of Zoë's gleaming constellation among the stars flashed behind my eyes, and my heart weighed in with guilt. Instinctively, I gazed up to the ceiling in wonder, hoping to catch sight of her once more. But the sinking realization that a person with a soul as stunning as hers would never grace these treacherous walls made me look back down.

"I am sorry to see you leave, Bianca di Angelo," Artemis said, and I was surprised to find she didn't sound so offended. "Know that you will always have a place here."

My sister nodded numbly and placed a hand on my shoulder. It was a subtle motion, but to me it spoke volumes.

"Now then," the Moon Goddess continued, "Thalia, Daughter of Zeus, and Bianca di Angelo, Daughter of Thanatos, step forward." By the way she announced Bianca's supposed parentage, I could tell she wasn't buying it.

My cousin and sister shared a quick glance before walking to the front of Artemis' throne of perfectly polished silver, not an ounce of hesitation in their steps. Zeus, however, didn't look so happy with the new ordeal.

Wordlessly, Artemis left her grand throne and shrunk to a more modest height. She walked up to Bianca. "Are you certain you wish to leave the Hunt?"

"More certain than I've ever been in my entire life."

Instead of answering, Artemis whispered what I assumed to be some sort of blessing under her breath, and suddenly my sister's silver aura flickered before finally dying out. Bianca exhaled sharply like all of her strength was leaving her, which could very well be the case. "I wish you the best of luck, Bianca," she said before turning to Thalia. "Repeat after me…"

**A/N:**

**Hey, Peeps. So uh... I discovered an amazing thing called Attack on Titan and then I binged watch the first two seasons. I would've bought the third season if it wasn't so dang expensive. Like, seriously _50 _is ridiculous. Normally I hate anime but oh my god I didn't know what I was missing. **

**The next chapter will come soon, and things will be ~revealed~. Honestly, I'm kind of having trouble writing the next chapter since I'm so stuck on this one part. I don't want to make it cringy and I want it to stay true to the character all while being BA which is kind of hard for me to do right now since my mind is so stuck on AoT, but I'll figure something out. I suspect there will be two more chapters then an epilogue. Also, do you guys know if epilogues and prologues are in sequels, or just like in the first and last book of a series and that's it? I feel like it's probably an optional thing but I just don't know.**

**Anyway stay safe, guys!**


	37. Chapter 34:

Chapter 34: I Get Casted With Some Straight Up Fairy Godmother Witchcraft

Contrary to popular belief, it would seem Zeus did have a reasonable side after all, given the fact the Mermaid Cow had yet to be unsuspectingly smited. I noticed Hermes hovering over Zeus' throne with a sleek object that looked a lot like the iPad I've seen Thanatos carry on deathly excursions, and I snorted.

The guy that boasted about his top notch security system is currently ordering a new one.

Thalia and Bianca didn't seem to mind their new roles. Thalia looked, if possible, even more confident with her silver diadem, and Bianca didn't seem all too bothered by the fact that she wasn't a Hunter of Artemis anymore. But they both looked exhausted, too, like the day weared away a good couple of years on their lifespans.

Percy and Annabeth were talking with their respective Godly parents, and Grover was happily munching on another tin can while striking conversation with Mr. D.

Just when I thought things were finally beginning to settle down, a certain God's presence ruined the peace.

The shadows began to dance in the corner of the wall. It was subtle at first, like they were dancing to a slow song. Then their movements became more sporadic and unpredictable, but seemed to concentrate into a solid mass that was growing taller and taller.

_In the name of my father… _

Of all the times he could've come why did it have to be now?

I pulled my best poker face but I wasn't sure it would hold up with the surprise guest arriving.

Dressed in midnight garments sewn with screaming souls, and adorning an unreadable expression, the God of the Underworld, Lord of the Dead, and my _father_ emerged from the dancing shadows in the corner of the throne chamber. His black callous eyes fell right on Bianca and I.

_Oh, Styx. _

I could feel Bianca's tension through the hand on my shoulder. I realized I was holding my breath, and an uncomfortable feeling like skeletal fingers tap dancing shivered down my spine. Why? After everything I've been through, why am I suddenly afraid to face my own father?

From the far corner of the room, Hestia smiled warmly. "Welcome, brother."

He nodded in acknowledgment towards the Goddess of the Hearth with what might've been a ghost of a smile on his pale face. "Sister."

"Hades? What business do you have here?" Zeus demanded, and by the expression on his face, I could tell he was seconds away from blasting some trigger happy bolts all over the place.

My father merely scowled, already accustomed to his idiot brother's antics. "Nothing concerning you and your overly inflated ego if you must know," he replied with his usual monotone. With the wave of his hand, he summoned an imposing throne of shadow and bone, sat in it, and glared at nothing in particular.

Demeter crossed her arms and snarled, "Come to flaunt my daughter's imprisonment in that dark dump you call home? Tell me, Hades, have you been feeding her any pomegranates lately?"

"Contrary to popular belief," Hades said in a chilling voice, bestowing the Goddess with the family owned death glare, "I do not treat her as though she is a dog, I treat her as she is—my _wife. _The sooner you start accepting that, the sooner my poor eardrums will be relieved of your insufferably irritating insults."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. As per usual, my father is 110% _done_ with Demeter, and I have no doubt Persephone and the Underworld's infinite mounds of paperwork have been pushing him to his limit, too.

"She is my _daughter._ You will treat her as the Goddess of Spring she is," the cereal fanatic quipped.

I had to cough to mask my laugh. Thankfully, only Percy seemed to find this unusual and raised his eyebrows at me in question. No one else batted an eye about it. But really, Goddess of _Spring?_ More than half the time, it's Persephone that comes up with the gruesome torture devices in Punishment, and Gods know she enjoys it. When Dad leaves his seat in the Judgement Pavilion to attend to other duties in the Underworld, it sure as heck isn't his appointed judges that sentence the most merciless punishments in the history of civilization. No. It's his _wife._ Over the span of a millennia, when demigods venture into the Underworld, Hades isn't the one that tempts them to eat the pomegranate seeds. No, it's the Goddess who was wrought victim to the damning seeds in the first place.

Calling Persephone the Goddess of Spring is like calling a blood thirsty hellhound an adorable puppy.

"Enough of this," Zeus growled, straightening the collar of his suit as if that was intimidating. "Hades, what is your business here? You are interrupting a rather important meeting."

Hades raised an eyebrow. "I have as much of a right to be here as you do, little brother. Surely you are not challenging my authority?"

"Not at all," Posiedon answered for Zeus, his demeanor as calm as a slow lapping wave. "We are merely wondering why you've come to this meeting of all occasions. I've always taken you to be the God who prefers not to attend these sorts of excursions."

Hades' stare was colder and more haunting than the depths of Tartarus. "Then it would seem you do not know me as well as you think, Posiedon." He didn't care to elaborate why. "If you are concerned I wish to start some ridiculous war, you needn't worry. There are far more important matters I'm in need of attending to."

Again, he didn't elaborate.

Suddenly Hestia strolled over casually at a modest height for a goddess and placed a hand right on my shoulder. The gesture looked subtle enough, but somehow conveyed Aunt Hestia's support all at once.

The Goddess of the Hearth was interesting like that.

"My Champion," Hestia said lightly, "has something he wishes to tell to you all. Information. _Vital_ information that will determine the very fate of humanity—and all of us—as we know it."

There was something like curiosity in my father's black eyes, but it was hardly noticeable with his scowl.

Zeus' expression was curious if not confused. "This feeble boy is your champion? _Why? _Has he been claimed? I do not recall you ever claiming a champion before."

"Unclaimed," she clipped. "But do not underestimate him. Strength is not everything. Undying hope and inexhaustible willpower can be just as powerful, if not more. All of which he possesses and has an affinity for. All of which will help him complete his mission."

The King of the Gods looked a bit skeptical, but said, "I see. And what is it the boy wishes to tell?"

Instead of answering, Hestia held her hand out to me. "It is time, Nico. Please, take my hand. Do not be alarmed. This will only be temporary."

I casted a doubtful look, confused by what she was asking, but took her hand nonetheless. After all, it would be unwise not to accept what a Goddess is giving you, whether it's a hand or a gift. I only had a split second to register her warning she gave us to close our eyes before white hot, searing light engulfed the room and my vision.

My breath hitched in surprise as gut-wrenching pain unwinded me from the inside, restitching every fiber of my being in the span of a millisecond. Then the light died down and the pain receded. But a strange feeling lingered underneath my skin like I was out of sync with the entire world.

The looks of shock and disturbance certainly didn't help the feeling lessen.

"That is some straight up fairy godmother witchcraft right there," Percy muttered, eying me, but the room was so silent everyone heard him.

"What?" I asked, paying no attention to the fact that my voice was deeper than usual.

Like a broken dam, questions and shouts flooded in with the overwhelming force of a tidal wave. "Why does he look so pale?" and "Why does he look older?" and even "What happened to baby Nico?!" were the only questions I could discern from the many others.

Annabeth grabbed me, inspecting me with uncomfortable intensity. "This is what you looked like before, isn't it?"

I was feeling thoroughly confused which was pretty uncommon given the fact that I'm a time traveler with knowledge of the future. "What are you—?"

The question died in my throat.

My hands were in fact significantly paler than I've grown accustomed to. Like, _been-vacationing-in-the-Underworld_ pale. And I was wearing an aviator jacket. And I was taller. And there was hair falling in my eyes. And suddenly I never felt so _right._

The answer to my question couldn't have been clearer: I was somehow transformed back into my 14 year old self.

"You—You changed me back?" I asked Hestia in disbelief, who was adorning an unusual smirk.

She nodded. "Temporarily. I thought it might be more suitable to introduce yourself as _you,_ and not your past self."

Well, hopefully this doesn't complicate things.

"Thank you," I said with a small smile, and I really meant it. This is one of the weirdest yet nicest things anyone has ever done for me.

I turned to Bianca questioningly, expecting her to shriek in terror at my unholy get up of black on black on skulls. But to my surprise, all she did was brush the hair out of my eyes with great difficulty and bluntly said, "You need a haircut."

She wasn't wrong. But I wasn't about to admit that.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Zeus demanded, and I've never seen him look so confused in all my time on Olympus. Upon closer inspection, he frowned. "This boy… looks familiar…"

Then his stormy eyes suspiciously narrowed in on Hades, who was seemingly watching the ordeal impassively. It would only take someone who's been around him long enough to know the tenseness of his jaw was set too hard not to be angry, or perhaps very, very confused. But it was hard enough to read any sort of emotion on my father's face, let alone what kind. So I assumed the worst: Hades was about ready to sentence someone into eternal damnation—possibly me—because generally that was always the case, and if it wasn't that… well, I didn't know what to think.

I regarded the Gods carefully, stringing together the words I would need to plead my case. A wave of revelation washed over me when I realized I didn't feel so angry anymore. Just tired, like there was no fight left to give. I wasn't sure if that was because of everything that's happened, or the fact that I held the sky for an allotted 2 minutes, or a combination of the two. For so long I was angry at the Gods, cursing their existence for what they did to us. But really, what good does it do? It won't change anything. It won't bring Hazel back to life. It won't bring _any of them_ back to life.

All it does is corrode me from the inside with this bitterness and hatred I can't let go. Is this corrodence the reason why Luke Castellan and so many others sided with Kronos? Is it why so many of us demigods couldn't make peace with our counterpart pantheon? Is it why it all went wrong? If there's one thing I've learned the hard way, it's how damaging the corrodence can be to a person and a civilization, but a feeling like pity came over me when I realized some people never learn.

"I think it's time I introduce myself. _Properly." _

Bianca and my friends, the people who had stood by me through everything were about to speak. But I shook my head, hoping the message was clear. I lived through the war. I traveled back in time. I have to tell the story.

I owe it to all the wildflowers in the field.

"My name is Nico di Angelo, Angel of the Fallen, time traveler from the future, and sole survivor of the Second Gigantomachy," I announced, and it was like this certainty alighted inside of me and I finally knew my place in this world. "Mother Earth is awakening and has been for over seventy years. She will start a war the following summer of the second Titanomachy, and her children—_the Giants_ will walk on this earth once more. The most time you have to prepare is three years, and even less than that if the Greek and Roman Pantheons are ever to be united to stop her."

Silence.

The entire room was left in a suspended void of quiet from what I had to say. It would seem even the walking Mythomagic cards come to life couldn't believe I was a time traveler from the future. Strange.

But their silence was disconcerting. It was no secret the Gods would have pretended the flashing signs of Kronos' return simply didn't exist had Artemis not been rescued and at the Winter Solstice meeting. Though there was something even more disconcerting about the astonished and delayed reactions to my warnings, as if warning or no, they wouldn't be prepared to fight another threat worse than before anyway.

So I continued, expressing what was really going through my mind, and I didn't hold back. Fate knows the Gods need an unfiltered eye opener.

"It would seem," I said, my voice as empty and distant as an abyss, "even now, _especially_ four years from now, you still can't work up the courage to accept that there are forces greater than you who want your thrones. You still hide away from your problems. You build these grand walls and sit on your high pedestals while your children die everyday fighting for your cause. That's how Gaea won. That's how Kronos almost won, too. They exploited your weaknesses: your ignorance. Your pride. Everyone knows a God and a demigod must work together in order to kill a Giant. We pleaded to you, screamed towards the heavens while the Greeks and Romans slaughtered each other. But you never came. Gaea basked in all of the blood of Olympus staining her rolling hills and flower fields without lifting as much as a finger.

"Now look me in the eyes and tell me you won't make the same mistake."

No answer came. Some voice in the back of my mind was telling me now was the time to panic.

_"YOU DARE SPEAK TO US THAT WAY, BOY?!"_ Zeus roared, enraged, and I knew I really made him mad this time. "You dare challenge the might of Olympus with your bitter lies and—"

"He's right, you know."

Everyone turned their attention from Zeus who looked ready to smite me to Apollo, who ditched the sunglasses and blinding smile for older eyes and a somber expression. His eyes, I noticed, didn't seem to shift in a thousand shades of the sky anymore, but now a thousand shades of the future. Every possibility and probability, every victory and loss, every chance and fate swirling in intangible fractured pieces no one but the God of Prophecy could comprehend.

"The Angel of the Fallen is right," he repeated wearily.

Zeus looked to be at a loss for words, sputtering like a fish out of water, though I don't think anyone was really expecting the response out of _Apollo_ of all Gods. "What—What do you _mean_ the brat's right?!"

"The boy isn't lying," my father said coldly. He eyed me the way he eyed all the lost souls in the Underworld. With unseeing eyes and no remorse. "There is an aura of death clinging to him that I haven't seen since the Civil War."

Apollo shook his head, an apologetic expression I've never seen before on his face. "Everything he said was true. In fact, I can see it happening now. It's… it's _terrible__. _Never in all of my immortal existence have I've seen a war end this badly. The Greeks and the Romans… And we hid away from _all of it…"_

"So _she_ really is rising? The boy spoke the truth?" Artemis whispered urgently to her brother. "How long do we have?"

"Not long…" The Sun God muttered, and his gaze focused on a distance no but he could see. "You casted the spell, Aunt Hestia. You brought him here in hopes of… Yes, I can see it. There's so many possibilities…"

"Can it be done?" Hestia asked, and I could hear the fear in her trembling voice. "My efforts will not be in vain?"

"Yeah," Apollo answered, but he hesitated. "It can be done. But us Gods? We can't do it. And there's a price that must be paid… I can't say anymore. The Fates won't allow me to. But yeah, the Angel of the Fallen and the chosen Seven can do it. And there's more…" Then his frown deepened, if possible. "This timeline is really going to… oh, _me."_ Then he mumbled so incoherently I was convinced I didn't hear him right. "Freaking giant chicken warrior… Wait, that's supposed to be a _falcon?"_

Then his words sank into my skin like freezing water, numbing the delaying blow that was bound to come. _It can be done. But us Gods? We can't do it._

It was ludicrous really. Laughable even to think the Gods could ever fix this. They were incapable then, who's to say they aren't incapable now? This whole time, I've been trying to glue myself back together long enough to get a message to the Gods, long enough to hear them say all those deaths weren't in vain. But Apollo's sharp words shattered me before I could even be mended.

_They were just an example to learn from,_ a little voice inside reassured me, _not a bad memory to dwell on. _But I found no hope in the thought, because I knew just as well it wasn't right. No, those deaths were just the _beginning_ of a bad memory.

A bad memory that won't end with the fall of Olympus.

Something inside of me snapped, and the room grew very, _very_ cold.

"You're telling me I came all this way for nothing?" My breath steamed in the unforgivable cold, my voice descended in a whisper with the fury of a thousand forgotten ghosts. "You're telling me their deaths were all in vain… because you can't make your kids get along? All because of some three thousand year old feud no one but you remembers? Do you even care what will happen to your kids?"

A shadow crossed Apollo's face as he said hopelessly, "It has to be you and the Seven. I'm sorry."

"But you're _Gods!_ You're all powerful beings!" Percy shouted incredulously. "Can't you just—?"

"You're only as powerful as we make you," Annabeth said, the answer dawning on her face, and it was like her steel gaze was gleaning forbidden secrets. "Western Civilization. You move where our influence takes you. You _become_ what the greatest civilizations want you to be. That's how the Roman Pantheon was born. That's why you can't unite it. If our influence doesn't wish to unite, then you cannot wish it either."

"Even our power has its limits," Artemis admitted quietly, and I got the feeling she was one of the only Gods with the guts to say it.

The frost stopped creeping along the marble.

"We are mere figments of your beliefs and your ideas in our purest forms," said Athena. "Nothing more."

The other Gods shifted uncomfortably in their thrones, and I knew right then and there nothing more needed to be said.

"Then… why do we even worship you?" Thalia asked. "We're just worshiping ourselves."

"Well someone has to keep the domains and principal beliefs in order," Aphrodite said matter-of-factly while filing her nails. "Love wouldn't be love without me."

Ares snorted. "And war would be a bloody mess and a whole lot of nothing without purpose and drive." Everyone stared at the God of War. "What, you think I tempt empires to fight just for quality entertainment?" The stares did not lessen. "Okay, maybe a little bit, but not always."

In his sea slab throne, Posiedon smiled tiredly, the lines next to his eyes crinkling in mirth. "The underwater kingdom would be chaos without a ruler. The waves and storms need restraint, or they will never cease."

"Yeah," Grover agreed. "We definitely need them."

Next to us, Hestia frowned. "Close your eyes," she warned.

A burst of light suddenly erupted in the throne room, and I felt the familiar sensation of my body unwinding and restitching itself together. It was painful, but this time, I felt grounded somehow, like I didn't feel so out of place anymore. When the light died down, it was suddenly a sorry sight to see Percy's tattered and singed jacket, and I missed my aviator jacket very, very much.

Well, it was nice being 14 again while it lasted.

"I'll find a way," I said at last. "I don't know how, but I'll figure something out. I'll help the Seven unite the pantheons. Things won't happen like they did last time."

"And we will begin war preparations," Hestia promised. "For _both_ wars. This time, we will be prepared for what is to come."

As much as I wanted to believe in that promise, some premonition in the back of my mind kept nagging me, as if warning me Fate would not be so kind to keep it.

…

The meeting was winding down once again with nothing left to be said. We all waited for Zeus to call the meeting adjourned, but he just kept staring at me and Bianca. It was… odd, to say the least. I've never been one to draw too much attention, but there was something about Zeus' stare that gave me the impression he knew something I didn't.

It was extremely unnerving.

"Brother," Posiedon prodded impatiently, "are you going to end the meeting? I wish to speak with my son, and my domain cannot be left unattended for so long."

Instead of answering him, Zeus muttered, "I can't be the only one who's noticed the resemblance the boy and the girl share with my brother. Their looks are unnatural."

Bianca and I exchanged uneasy glances with each other, and I I knew we were both thinking the same thing: Is this idiot beginning to unearth the 70 year old secret that should have stayed buried?

Well, I can't say we haven't made it a little obvious, but still.

"Yes," Athena agreed, watching us carefully. "And their relationship with the Sea Spawn and the Grace girl is rather questionable."

An unspoken agreement seemed to pass between me and Bianca. We both adorned blank poker faces that could've passed off as statues—or maybe even corpses with soulless eyes and lifeless faces. We didn't speak. We only stared.

"I gotta use the bathroom," Grover announced out of the blue. "Are there any bathrooms on Olympus?"

"Down the hall and to the left," Mr. D directed distractedly. He was reading a new magazine with what looked to be gladiators on the front cover. Huh. I always thought gladiators were strictly Roman.

Grover thanked him and was halfway across the room before Zeus ordered, "No one is permitted to leave this room until I get to the bottom of this."

_For the love of Gods._

Grover's face paled so much his freckles were almost nonexistent. Percy, however, was not having it. "My friend needs to pee," the Son of the Sea God argued. "Grover's blatter always acts up when he's nerv—" He stopped himself, as if he said something he shouldn't have.

By the looks of it, Annabeth seemed to think so, too.

"And why," Zeus asked, "is the satyr so nervous?" But the look on his face suggested he already knew why.

"Probably because you won't end the meeting," Thalia hissed, glaring fiercely at her father.

Zeus paid no attention to her. He studied Bianca and I for a moment longer. Then, as if the answer dawned on him, he spat, "The boy and the girl are the unfortunate and disgraceful products of a broken vow." Zeus glared at my sister and I like we actually had a say in the matter. "Seeing as my villainous brother, _Hades,_ has broken the oath not once, but _twice,_ I will see to it his children are sufficiently punished for their crimes against the sacred oath and the well being of Olympus."

My friends all tensed, but made no move to protest. Hades had yet to confirm or deny Zeus' claim, though either way, there wouldn't be a reasonable way out of this. Still, I was trembling, but not from fear. The last solution to Zeus' problem resulted in my mother's and hundreds of innocent people's deaths.

Flashes of my mother's face haunted me in ways only I could see. My mother's thin smile as she reassured my father everything would be alright. Her warm coffee eyes trained on the ceiling as a storm rumbled beyond. The moment the horrid ringing sounded as she went to grab her purse…

What would my mother think if she saw just how cruel this world really became? _And she thought I could change the world for the better, _I recalled bitterly. _How is that working out right now?_

"You play a dangerous game, little brother," Hades' whisper was breath shattering cold, but his manic gaze was black fire that could devour souls. "Claiming these children are mine. Claiming I've broken the oath _you_ brought upon me. An insult to me and to my reputation, I think. Although, I do have more than enough subjects to spare should things get out of hand. Death is, after all, eternal. The living are short lived at best."

Posiedon, I noticed, as well as all the other Gods shifted nervously in their thrones, because they knew they would have to choose sides should WWIII break out.

A flash of fear shone through Zeus' eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly. "Di Angelo." He said the name like it was a taboo. "I believe I have heard that name before. There is a rumor… Maria di Angelo. Apparently she was quite well known to _them,_ but not to us. As far as my knowledge goes, she tried to attempt the impossible with those fools." I frowned, not understanding what he meant by that statement. "Then she went as far as challenging _me_. I would think her death was more merciful at the hands of me than them."

My father's expression was unreadable. "Are you so quick to believe even the most ridiculous of rumors and lies? If I'd known that three thousand years ago, I would've fed you to Father and been done with it. Or perhaps I should've sent my three headed dog as a birthday present."

It was times like these I couldn't tell if my dad was joking, and he made a point to tell me a while back the feeling was pretty mutual. Still, the glint in my father's eyes suggested he still had more schemes of maiming he had yet to reveal.

Zeus' laugh was anything but amused. "The rumor that the wretched mortal was a former lover of yours sounds believable if not true." Then his eyes darted to Bianca. "The girl, I'm sure, shares quite a resemblance with her mother. But her eyes remind me of yours. Black. Mad. Cold. And the boy has our dear mother's curls, don't you think?" He didn't wait for an answer. "If these children really are yours as much as they are her's, then you have broken a far more dangerous oath than originally thought. One that will be the downfall of us all."

Hades' glare was enough to make a demigod—or any God for that matter—wither in agony until they reduced to ash and nothingness. But Zeus held his brother's gaze, and it was like there was a silent message between them, a secret neither of them would share.

Artemis seemed to be catching on pretty quickly. At least to the fact that revealing our true parentage would be very, very bad. "Bianca and Nico di Angelo are indeed children of Thanatos, Father," she claimed, but the minuscule look she casted Hades told a different story. "I know because I have seen them use abilities only children of Thanatos would possess in the midst of battle. To insult the God of Death and the God of the Underworld any further with false accusations of the parentage of the children would be unwise."

Zeus must have really trusted Artemis, because his looks of suspicion in our direction relented, at least for now. But something told me Zeus was not entirely convinced, and it would only be a matter of time before he found out the truth.

"...I see," the King of the Gods said, regaining his composure. "Very well. If that is all, this meeting is adjourned."

I didn't miss the sighs of relief that spanned all through the throne room from Gods and demigods alike, and I didn't miss the quiet exit my father made either.

Today was a victory, at least, but not without a cost. A vision of Zoë's empty eyes beneath the light of the stars flashed before me, but, with great difficulty, I banished it to the back of my mind. There is still work to be done—_tremendously_ more work than previously thought, what with the revelation that the God's cannot unite the Greeks and Romans. But we have to do it. The Greco-Roman Pantheon must be whole if we are to ever stand a chance against Gaea and her Giants.

I glanced at my friends who were smiling and making their way to their parents—minus Bianca who didn't have that luxury, and Grover who was dashing to the nearest bathroom.

_Yeah,_ I thought with a small smile. _We can do it._

**A/N:**

**Hey, guys. I know it's been a while since I updated. The reason for that is because I rewrote this stupid chapter in three different ways because I felt it kept running flat, all of which took days to write and edit individually before I was finally satisfied with how it was written. Like, seriously, there was some wack stuff happening that I just couldn't get over, and it was causing me a _lot_ of writer's block and stress. And then there was some other fun activities that took up most of my time. But you know, I assumed this chapter could be done quicker since my mind wasn't stuck on AoT anymore.**

**Obviously that was not the case.**

**Anyway, hope you guys are happy with this chapter. I put a lot of thought and some ~foreshadowing~ in it in hopes of stirring some questions that may or may not be answered in the next book. I also tried my best to keep all of the Gods—especially Hades in character. I wanted the reveal of Nico being a time traveler to fit his personality and characterization, and I think the mixture of politeness, coldness, and callous honesty was the direction I needed to go. I figured revealing the parentage of the di Angelo siblings would be too soon as well, so I did this weird passive aggressive conversation between Hades and Zeus, and I guess everything about that conversation will make more sense in the sequel. So... yeah. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. Hopefully this time I won't have so much writer's block, but this is a fun chapter I've really been looking forward to writing since like, the middle of the book.**

**Well, stay safe guys!**


	38. Chapter 35:

Chapter 35: I Go on a Jelly Bean Adventure

The smell of rich chocolate and fresh pastries lingered in the morning dew air, and the horrific sounds of seagulls snatching unattended food and sea salt spray pilling the boards of stores was something I could almost call relaxing. But I've never really been a fan of the ocean. There was just something so frightening about the endless sea stretch this way and that, and all the creepy critters who bit and stung and swam underneath.

Still, I was determined to enjoy myself today. The boardwalk of San Francisco wasn't nearly as terrifying as it was the night of the battle of Mt. Othrys. Especially when you could see it in person and not from the petrifying view of Artemis' chariot.

Yesterday morning we arrived from Olympus with lead legs and heavy eyelids, and as far as my knowledge goes, all of us slept the entire day. Connor and Travis Stoll were kind enough to not wake Bianca and I in the Hermes cabin, but I made sure to keep my ring on me and under the covers in case they got any ideas.

Chiron was notified of our time traveling predicament and called us late at night to fill him in on the details. He didn't outright say it, but there was a weariness in his gaze every time he regarded me and Bianca. A knowingness that comes with three thousand years of experience—three thousand years he's had to recognize two children of Hades when he sees them. But I decided not to dwell on it. He hasn't revealed our parentage yet, and I don't think he would reveal it at all unless directly ordered to by the Gods.

So, I was determined to make the most of today, because this would probably be the only time I have to myself before I'm glued to Bianca again (not that I'm all that upset about it) and have to endure the exhausting task of socializing with people (which I am _definitely_ upset about).

_Go. Have a day to yourself and try to stay out of trouble. IM me if you need anything. I'll make a good excuse when they start asking questions._

It was times like these I was happy to have a friend like Annabeth Chase cover for me for the whole day. What Bianca and Percy don't know won't hurt them.

I wandered through the boardwalk, watching the indistinct faces pass by. I had to remind myself I didn't look like a walking corpse anymore, and therefore shouldn't expect looks of terror and second glances. But my fatigue from the overstretched shadow jump couldn't have been all that appealing to look at either. Somehow, I found my way to a small bench overlooking the foggy harbor. A little while back, I passed by a candy shop and treated myself to a load of rainbow jelly beans, paying with the infinite credit card I still had from my time in the Lotus Hotel and Casino—never mind the fact Bianca would have never let me eat candy this early in the morning. I made sure to save the blue jelly beans for Percy and the rest for my friends, but the purple ones were all mine.

I stopped when I was about to stick a purple jelly bean into my mouth. Something about the colorful treat left me with nothing but a bad feeling of sorts. Not the kind of bad you feel when you eat a Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans and realize the grape flavored bean is in fact not grape. It was the kind of bad that felt like emptiness; hollow like the echoing chasms of despair where the lost go, and senselessly miserable for reasons I couldn't explain, glazing my face with unforeseen tears.

A memory caught up to me before I even knew what was happening.

_"Ambassador of Pluto, what news do you bring?"_

_The room looked grand enough, with its high columns of white marble, and book shelves filled to the brim with parchments of gold inked texts. But the tables and chairs had a more modern taste that somehow complemented the royal purple, giving way to a new style the Romans didn't know they needed._

_"Praetor Reyna," I greeted with a nod towards the girl who could've passed off as a queen in her gold throne. But the look was a little off, with much too dark circles under her eyes like she carried not only the weight of her kingdom, but the weight of the world on her shoulders—which she did._

_"Have you heard any news of Jason's whereabouts?" She repeated, a hint of steel in her voice._

_I stared blankly at her for a moment. "No. I'm sorry."_

_Which was true. It was one of the first things I've said to her that wasn't a complete lie. Though the coincidental disappearance of a certain Son of Posiedon did raise some questions and dangerous theories. Her dogs Aurum and Argentum didn't bark in disagreement, which was a relief. _

_"I see. I wish to thank you for your help, Son of Pluto. It… it has not been easy dealing with my partner's disappearance." _

_I knew coming from her, that was a lot to admit. After all, it wasn't the Roman way to admit defeat, though it was pretty clear Reyna wouldn't give up without a fight. Still, Octavian's recent claws to power were problematic, and his silver tongue was proving to be troublesome among the loyalties and allegiances of the Legion. _

_"We'll find him, Reyna," I promised. "We have dozens of search parties out looking for him, there's no way we'll miss him."_

_We'll find_ both _of them._

_"I suppose you're right," she said stiffly, and I thought I heard a tremble of doubt in her otherwise confident voice. _

_She reached a hand into a jar full of jelly beans, the only colorful object sitting on her otherwise bland but fancy looking desk. She sorted out the greens and tossed them back in the jar unceremoniously, then she downed the other colors like it was nectar of the Gods. _

_She must have noticed the alarmed look on my face._

_"Jelly beans," she said simply, as if that explained all of the secrets of the universe. "Care to have some?" Reyna slid the jar closer to me._

_I frowned, wondering if this was a trick. The last time someone made a move for the jelly bean jar, Reyna wolf glared at them until they were trembling like a leaf in the wind and about ready to wet themselves. Granted, that was Octavian. But still._

_I raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"_

_Reyna's expression was nothing short of amused. "Personally," she said as she grabbed a single purple jelly bean, studying it, "I prefer the purple ones. Grape is, in my opinion, superior to all flavors—jelly bean or no. Here. Try it."_

_I eyed the jelly bean for a moment. What if it was actually poison disguised as grape? Has she figured out I'm Greek? Is she trying to kill me with a jelly bean? Then I realized how ridiculous that sounded. No, If she wanted to kill me, she would've done it with hot chocolate. It makes the probability of consumption that much higher._

_With that comforting thought in mind, I ate the jelly bean._

_It_ was _rather delicious. It tasted artificial, unbelievable, magical. If it was poison then it was really _good _poison. I found myself wanting more. I sampled some different flavors, but found none of them to be as good as the grape._

_"Jason's favorite was always the green ones," Reyna admitted with a look of disdain, and I didn't miss the way she talked about him in past tense, as if she were already planning his funeral. "We made a compromise that he can eat my jelly beans as long as he gets the watermelon and I get the grape."_

_"Sounds like a good compromise."_

_"I suspect he was eating the cherry ones behind my back."_

_I smiled ruefully. "The Golden Boy taking more than his fill? No. He couldn't."_

I blinked in confusion and frowned at the jelly bean in my hand. How could such a small thing remind me of so much? And a piece of candy of all things…

I wiped my tears in embarrassment and put the jelly bean back in the bag. Suddenly I lost my appetite for it.

I stared out at the steel grey water. Heavy mist blanketed the morning dawn, giving way to an ominous and mysterious feel, as if something was lurking beyond the fog. A splotch of light shone where the sun should have been, and somewhere behind the cloak of mist, wisps of shadows and indistinguishable shapes danced. I wondered how much of the mist was magical, given the concentration of monsters in this area. Suddenly a larger shadow appeared in the mist—swirling like ink in water—and it was growing in shape and size, as if it was getting closer.

Then I realized it was getting closer.

I fingered my ring until it was in the palm of my hand. I trained my eyes on the shadowy mass treading the silvery waves, trying to discern its shape among the many others. It was an odd looking ensemble of thin spires and bulky masts, and the mist seemed focused on that one shadow in particular with relentless intent, like it was trying to cover a rather nasty ink splotch.

_It's a ship full of monsters, __I thought,_ recalling the armada of mismatched vessels and blood thirsty crews only two nights prior. _Or_ Luke's _ship full of monsters._

No. That's impossible. Luke _died._ There's no way he could've survived that fall. But even as I tried to deny it, I knew there were plenty of ways. Luke Castellan was one of the greatest swordsmen this generation, save for Percy. _Swords can't save you from a fall like that. _But if the rumors were true, alliances were already made with the old Sea Titan, Oceanus, for protection against Posiedon's raging storms and deadly monsoons. I wouldn't put it past the deal they made to involve protection from brink-of-death falls to the sea, especially for the future vessel and personal puppet of Kronos.

But these thoughts were nothing but what ifs, little doubts sprouting like weeds in my mind that would only fester with my paranoia. He _died__. _Thalia ended him. He was just another asset of the enemy who met an end that was less than he deserved.

_But did you hear the ringing? _

The shadow emerged out of the heavy mist, a full fledged pirate ship that looked like it had seen better days. Barnacle and plankton and what I suspected to be algae hung from the head of a burnished gold statue of a mermaid like a wrangly wig, and her dress was made out of nasty decor of mildew and mold. The sails of the ship were adorned with what looked to be the remnants of a black skull, but it was patched with mismatched floral patterns. The deck looked pretty spotless and polished to the point where it sparkled—or well, it _would've_ had it not been charred and gutted and marred by shrieking gorgons wreaking havoc on the stern.

_This must be their lovely, humble ship,_ I thought. But then I changed my mind quick enough when I noticed they were darting around the deck like they were _attacking_ something. _Or someone._

Then I noticed two human figures dressed in white with glinting weapons in their hands. They were outnumbered by two to _at_ _least_ twenty, I noticed after closer observation of the other monsters stalking the deck. Friend or no, I couldn't just sit there while they fight all on their own. I made a split second decision. In an instant, I shoved the bag of jelly beans into my pocket, threw my ring in the air, and caught it by the handle just as I slipped into the cold embrace of the shadows.

Was it risky and stupid to shadow travel to a _boat_ on the _ocean_ full of _monsters?_ Yes. Extremely. At the moment, did I care? No. Not really. Self-preservation was such a measly thing to worry about these days.

The shadows pooled and teleported me to the middle of the ship, where riggings of rope were tied in a maze of knots, holding in place what I assumed were the sails. Then again, I'm no son of Posiedon. Skeletons and zombies were more my cup of tea.

An empousa was in front of me, some of the other monsters surrounding and cornering the two half bloods while one tried to man the ship, much to the other's protests. In an instant, my sword slashed like a shadow clean through the weird donkey, metal body of the empousa before she even had time to scream, the blade pulsing with power as the monster's essence was sucked dry.

I stepped through the shower of golden dust, making my presence known with a bone rattling glare. "I hate empousa," I grumbled, the memory of Kelli's claws sinking into my shoulder in the Labyrinth resurfaced. "They talk too much."

But my glare morphed into shock quick enough when I saw the two demigods in front of me, because I recognized one of them immediately, and I came to the conclusion that the Fates had quite the sense of humor.

There, standing in a tattered white toga dress and adorning a wild look in her eyes, 15 year old Reyna Ramirez wiped a trail of blood running down the side of her mouth, looking ready to run through each and everyone of these monsters with the force of an entire army. And I knew, even now, Reyna was still a force to be reckoned with as ever. The older girl standing next to her, who I assumed was Hylla, shared the same cold fury in her dark eyes, though it was masked plenty well with confusion.

Well, things just got a little more complicated.

A sudden urge came over me, an acute sense of danger, a voice in the back of my mind screaming at me to _get away. _

_You don't belong with their kind. _

_But I do,_ I whispered back fiercely. _They aren't my enemies. They're one of the only hopes this world has left to survive the next apocalypse._

I tried to push the feeling to the back of my mind, to ignore it, but a faint weariness still remained. One that I don't think will go away anytime soon.

We snapped out of our daze of confusion quick enough when one of the dracane said, pointing at me with his grueling claws, "Hey, that guy ran a knife through my friend Billy two nights ago! Kill him!"

I wanted to tell this dracanae that Billy probably got what he deserved, but I was much too busy rolling out of the way from the killer talons that got too close to my internal organs.

"Who are you?" Hylla demanded as she stabbed through a monster with ease. She yanked Reyna back from a bold empousa that got too close, and she looked positively annoyed by the prospect of her older sister's overbearing protection. I unfortunately could relate. "Keep your eye on _all_ the enemies," she paused to berate her little sister.

"Nico di Angelo," I introduced myself, swiping through the dracanae who tried to avenge Billy in vain. "Pleased to meet you."

"We didn't need your help, you know," Hylla hissed. "Especially from a _child._ We had it covered."

"Oh, I'm sure you did," I agreed not unkindly. "Being outnumbered by two to twenty with a hellhound on the loose on a tiny ship with nowhere but the sea to go _can't_ be too difficult to handle."

Actually, I miscalculated. There were _two_ hellhounds that somehow fit on this pirate ship, and one of them was barreling right towards me. Seriously, where did all of these monsters come from?

"They managed to hijack our ship a few minutes back," Hylla grudgingly admitted as if she read my mind. She pointed to a small, more modern looking ship abandoned right next to the gigantic pirate vessel with her old fashioned pirate sword. "And right when we were about to reach shore."

What impeccable timing.

A hellhound snapped its sharp canine teeth in my direction, but his glowing red eyes set on Reyna, who was busy dealing with one of the other gorgons and didn't see our new furry friend. The hellhound suddenly decided I wasn't interesting enough and stalked towards the Daughter of Bellona, growling menacingly. Reyna was all the way on the other side of the deck at the very foot of the ship, and by the looks of it, she didn't hear my shout of warning over all of the shrieks and cackles of the monsters.

What I did next was very, very impulsive, and Bianca—not to mention all of my friends—would not have approved, but they weren't here right now to tell me themselves. Besides, ever since I travelled the Athena Parthenos across the world with Reyna, I've grown accustomed to watching her back like she always watched mine, and right now that means keeping my soon-to-be-Praetor friend from becoming hellhound kibble.

I darted to the post securing all of the knots in the middle of the ship's deck and gripped one of the ropes. Then I cut it. It was a hopeless stunt really. The rope fell like a dead snake in my hand, useless and motionless. I saw it once in this weird pirate movie I watched with Percy: The guy sliced the rope and it became taut, zipping him up due to the uneven weight of a human body to a loose rope. I should've known it wouldn't work like it did in Hollywood.

I should've told someone where I was. I should've gotten help. I should've known better without a terrible circumstance to prove me wrong. But I didn't, because at the end of the day, a part of me is still that same little boy grasping all of those childish fantasies and silly daydreams like straws. And now the death of the girl I used to call my best friend will be the newest of many unforgivable circumstances.

_I'm so sorry, Reyna,_ I wanted to say. But of course, I knew she wouldn't hear me over the roars and the growls.

The hellhound was prowling from the shadows now. Hylla was still busy near the wheel of the ship, and I doubted I could reach Reyna quick enough by shadow travel, let alone my short chicken legs. I've never felt so useless in my entire life, save the memory of my breath stolen out of me little by little in Gaea's glass jar, and the feeling of hopelessness, and all the agonizing days as a skeletal butterfly in captivity, waiting for death to wither me into nothing.

I felt like I was slowly drowning in my own misery. Why does nothing work out the way it should? Why do I always screw up and everyone I care about over? It's not fair.

A little laugh escaped me—somewhere along the lines of madness and hysteria. _You should know this by now: It never was fair, and it never will be._

In a cry of anger and frustration, I slashed all of the ropes. Suddenly I felt something latch around my ankle, and up I went with a yelp of surprise like some accident-prone pigeon. If my demigod reflexes didn't kick in a split second to grab the nearest rope, I probably would've broken my neck. The ropes taut, and I stayed suspended in midair, upside down, next to the lookout post at the very top, now _really_ away from Reyna.

I screamed her name—temporarily excusing the fact I shouldn't have known her name yet. She didn't look up. I screamed her name again, this time cupping one of my hands to my face, the other gripping my sword. She still didn't look up. I considered dropping my sword down, hoping she would see it, but it might just fall on her and kill her, or she could be tempted to pick it up which would also kill her. Or it might pierce the hellhound who was padding even closer, but the chances of that were slim to none.

So I did the only thing I could do. Like an idiot, I opened the jelly bean bag as a means of salvation.

Reyna probably thought it was pelican poop dropping on her. The scuttle of jelly beans as they hit her shoulders and the polished deck of the ship echoed as a silent and _very_ miscommunicated warning. _What a waste of good jelly beans,_ I thought mournfully. _I'll have to go back for more if I survive this. _

She looked up in a scary mixture of shock and annoyance, and I gestured as wildly as one could tied up, upside down, and in midair at the approaching hellhound, more jelly beans raining down in killer rainbows that could easily murder someone from this height. I didn't think it was possible, but that moment might've been more embarrassing than the living nightmare that was otherwise known as Albania.

Thankfully, Reyna was observant if not clever and noticed the hellhound charging towards her. With a war cry, she shredded the monster she was quarrying with to dust, dashed to the creature of shadow, and slid underneath the gaping mouth and razor canines, slicing up the furry thing from belly to jaw like it was a sick pig. She emerged unscathered with that familiar fury in her eyes, the unspoken challenge daring anyone to try and fight her. Hanging from above, I found myself nodding in approval even though I knew she didn't need it. This, among other reasons, is why Reyna Ramirez is the warrior queen she is. She doesn't need a guy—or _anyone_ for that matter—to save her. _All she needs is jelly beans._

With one questioning glance, Reyna cut whatever rope ensnared me, and down I went with a very uncharacteristic yelp. I dropped less like a fallen angel, and more like one of those birds that discovered they were an ostrich at the worst timing imaginable. I landed roughly on my sword arm, and I gasped in pain as a thousand daggers punctured my skin. Broken, sprained, dislocated—I wasn't sure. But I could worry about it later. Right now I needed to focus on a more important task at hand.

"Are you okay?" I asked breathlessly at the future Praetor of New Rome.

"Jelly beans," she said incredulously.

"What?"

"You… dropped jelly beans on me to… That is a interesting way to warn someone." There was something like respect in her voice. Or was that ludicrousy I sensed?

"And _effective__,"_ I pointed out, straining a little as I struggled to get up. "I'm always searching for more creative ways to get out of life threatening situations. Makes for a more interesting lifestyle."

"And your lifestyle is… life threatening situations?" Her eyes roamed over me, probably wondering just who she got mixed up with.

I smiled wryly, attempting to switch my sword to my left hand with a pathetic whimper. _Definitely broken._ I made a mental note to ask Will to heal it later. "It's more of a living, actually."

"That I can agree with." Then she hesitated, and I got the feeling she was getting the same warning signs I was. "Nico, was it?"

I nodded distantly, nibbling on a couple pieces of ambrosia, though it hardly helped to ease the pain, and only did so much to mend the bone. Will is never going to let me live this down. I searched the deck, cradling my arm, looking for something to use as a makeshift sling.

"Here, let me help with that." She ripped a piece off of her already tattered dress, successfully tattering it more, and after another wince in my part, wrapped the fine cloth around my arm and neck.

"Thanks," I bit out with much difficulty.

She smirked. "It was the least I could after you… _warned me._ Perhaps I'll consider using the jelly bean strategy later on in the future." She held out her hand, and the wariness in her eyes eased into something calmer. "I'm Reyna, by the way."

I would've shaken her hand, but a monster growled and jumped in the middle of us out of nowhere. Then my brain stupidly thought, _Oh, yeah. Still fighting monsters._

Pleasant conversation can be awfully distracting for a demigod.

"Fight now, talk later!" Then we were unwillingly dragged into the fray once again.

I was surprised to find I only stumbled a little while fighting with my left hand—given my terrible 10 year old coordination—as we slashed and stabbed through monster after monster. We even killed this one gorgon who claimed she worked at Bargain Mart, and she kept offering us and all the other monsters who were busy trying to eat us some "Cheese 'n' Wieners" from that Gods forsaken tray she carried around for reasons I could not explain. At some point, Hylla took care of the second hellhound in five seconds flat like it was less of a bloodthirsty creature of the Underworld, and more like a small puppy that needed to be put down. At that point I was thoroughly convinced the Fates really did have a sense of humor if they made taking down a hellhound that easy for her and horribly hellish for me.

Soon the wave of monsters waned from horde to none, until only the worst of them remained: Medusa, a monster I've never fought before, but heard Percy had a run in with a while back. My stupid 10 year old brain thought it was a good time to remind me Medusa had 3,500 attack points plus 5 on saving throws, which did not sit well with 10 year old me or teenage me.

_Only 500 points less than the average God,_ I thought gloomily. _We're doomed. _

Reyna, Hylla, and I dashed behind one of the boxes of cargo lined up on the deck to catch our breaths, and I made a point to tell them I was supposed to be on break.

"Well, why did you help us then?" Reyna whispered incredulously.

Medusa was treading the deck slowly, her soft voice like a harp trying to lure us out of our not-yet-discovered hiding spot. I'm sure her hair—if it could even be called hair—was more hideous than her voice sounded, though I rather not find out.

"Because!" I exclaimed in an exasperated whisper. "You guys were outnumbered really, really bad. What else was I supposed to do?"

Reyna frowned. "We were still outnumbered badly, even when you came."

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious."

"Don't tempt him, Reyna," Hylla warned. "Remember the green eyed demigod and his clever friend? He's one of _those_ heroes." The sisters shared a knowing look of disdain, as if they were both recalling a cruel joke.

Suddenly I sensed hostility in the air, and I knew it wasn't because of the cursed creature somewhere on the other side of the crate.

"Does anyone have any ideas on how to kill Miss Scale Follicles over there?" I asked lightly, trying to relieve the tension before I wound up dumped on shore and brutally murdered.

Hylla peered through a small hole in the decaying wood. "There's a rumor that went around among the island of our old home. It might be a myth, but they say the witch's power only works in direct eye contact, not reflection."

"As in Perseus using the reflection of a mirrored shield to kill her?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah. That."

"I don't suppose you have any mirrors on hand?" I asked. My silver skull ring was shiny enough to see my reflection, but it was distorted and small, and would never work long range. And my sword didn't reflect light, it engulfed it in the reckoning shadows of its blade, never to be seen again.

Reyna offered her golden dagger. "This might work, but I think it's too small."

"Probably," Hylla agreed. Then she grimaced at her own blade. "This sword isn't exactly shiny." It was a dull disappointing silver covered in barnacle and what looked suspiciously like blood. "Those stupid pirates couldn't even bother to polish their own weapons. No way you can see a reflection out of this."

I looked away, lost in thought. Out of all the strange experiences I've gone through since time traveling, this one definitely takes the cake, and that's saying something after the gods awful flying pig experience. Everything about this meeting felt wrong, like it was too soon. Like things were happening too fast. When I was 10 years old, the idea that Romans existed didn't even cross my mind. Now, I was teaming up with my not-yet-best-friend and her dauntless older sister to fight the very monsters that shouldn't even be in their vicinity, simply because the culprit behind it all isn't Roman, let alone would directly associate with them.

Could it be a coincidence that I'm seeing the very Roman who will soon have the most influence in this inevitable war, right after being told by the Gods they can't make the two pantheons merge? Was this just a second chance at our unlikely friendship gifted by the Fates, or something more?

Before I could ponder it, I found a solution to another pressing issue at hand. Because I was staring at my kneeling reflection in the polished wood of the deck, the detail so clear, I could discern the silver smudge in my otherwise black hair to be _part of my hair. _

_Another side effect of holding the weight of the sky,_ I thought distractedly, but I couldn't worry about that now.

"The floor," I whispered hurriedly. "We can use the floor."

Reyna and Hylla trained their eyes to the deck, too, and I knew they saw it just like I did. The perfect mirror that pooled all around us.

Hylla smirked suddenly. "I knew those pirates were good for something."

"What?" I asked. Seriously, I can see why this girl became Queen of the Amazons.

"After the pirates of this ship tried to imprison us and we escaped, Hylla forced them to polish and clean the deck until, in her exact words, it shined 'so much you can see your own coward faces the sharks will call delicious,'" Reyna explained drily. "Then she threw them overboard."

"Did any of them survive?"

"It was hard to discern the screams of terror from the screams of limbs being gnawed off," Hylla said with grim satisfaction. "Though I like to think the sharks ate well that day."

I stared at her for a moment. Suddenly I was glad Reyna became the Praetor of New Rome and not her sister. Still, I told myself I shouldn't be unnerved by the idea of death and murder, being the Son of Hades and all that. But there was something extremely unsettling about ending a life by a _shark_ of all things. I even shuddered at the thought. "Lets just go kill her before she finds us."

We scrambled to the side of the barrel, unsheathing our weapons and watching the planked wood in weariness, waiting for an opening. Medusa searched the deck like a lighthouse at the edge of sea; intently, blindly, relentlessly. The only sound on the ship was the low, soft hisses of petrifying serpents, and the gentle lull of the waves brushing the hull. Everything was too quiet, and suddenly my breaths sounded too loud.

"Children, I am so lonely." The voice was nearby, barely above a whisper—the soft caress of death. _She's close._

We drifted over the deck like spirits, untethered to sound and ground. We kept our heads down as we tried to search for the source of the voice, but on a ship this big, it was harder than it looked. Still, I was surprised Medusa hadn't spotted us yet, and if she did, she gave no indication. I summoned the shadows and thickened them around us for some much needed cover, but at some point, the mist wandered over the vessel, clouding the sheen of the deck and ourselves. I couldn't see the bay anymore, and without memory, I wouldn't have even known it was there, not a shadow or even a wisp of darkness to give a clue. Our eyes were unreliable now, and it was all I could do to stay close to Reyna and Hylla without getting lost to the mist.

This deadly hide-and-go-seek was anyone's game now.

"Please, children, I have been alone for so long. My sisters have come back to me, only to fade to dust once again," the cursed woman moaned from somewhere to my left. I suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. This poor old woman had been alone for centuries, dwelling in the shadows, away from her family. _Not unlike yourself._ If that Bargain Mart fanatic really was her sister that we just killed, well, I might just be responsible for centuries more in solitude, a fate that had almost been my own undoing.

_Snap out of it._ I had to remind myself this isn't some poor old woman. This is a monster—a _witch_ who has murdered hundreds of mortals and demigods alike, petrifying them in one of the worst kinds of death, encasing their unsuspecting souls in stone where they may never know peace. _Sending her back to Tartarus to her foolish sisters is too merciful._

My ears perked at the soft tread of something like a heavy dress maybe a few feet away from me, but I couldn't be sure. The acoustics here magnified and deceived, like the mist was a yawning tunnel that echoed with walls of its own. I felt a nudge at my wrist in the direction of the disturbance, and I knew they heard it too. With alarming observation, I couldn't even see my own sword in front of me, let alone my hands. Hopefully my instincts don't need to see my sword to fight.

I heard what might've been the sounds of sniffing. Then the tread got louder. And closer.

_She's smelling us,_ I realized with horrific clarity. _Just like any other monster would've, whether their sight was good or not._

The hairs on my arms prickled in warning, and the cold fingers of certain death splayed down my spine. My senses were on overdrive now, my eyes skimming the fog for any sign I could get.

Something moved in the mist. A hand shot out suddenly, wrenching me into the thicket of fog with an iron grip and malice intent. I let out a strangled scream as my arm twisted in an even more unnatural angle.

Black spots danced behind my eyes, and I was only distantly aware of my sword slipping out of my hand.

"Nico? Nico, where are you?!" They were crying my name, but they were far away now, unreachable and untouchable.

_Close your eyes!_The voice in the back of my mind was screaming now, the forbidden meeting with the Romans long forgotten.

But I couldn't close them now. A part of me didn't want to. A part of me was curious. I stared at the hand still clutching my arm with an iron grip. It was well manicured, with pretty nails decorating wrinkling skin. I could've mistaken this cursed monster for a beautiful woman who had simply aged.

Thankfully, I knew better.

"Look at me, child." She tilted my chin up, and I finally got the good sense to shut my eyes. I couldn't see it, but I could feel her petrifying gaze drinking my face, her serpents hissing and brushing my cheek with their rough scales. I cringed away, squirming to get free, and she only gripped my broken arm tighter. "You have such lovely curls," she whispered, stroking my hair. "I once had curls like yours. But _she_ took it all away from me."

"Sounds tragic," I said loudly, trying to buy myself some time. I couldn't just swipe with a blade I didn't have, and Reyna and Hylla haven't found me yet.

"It was," Medusa agreed miserably. "But if you open your eyes, I will not be alone anymore. _Please._ Just… open…"

I didn't want to open my eyes, I wanted her to let me go. I wanted her to feel the pain and suffering she wrought on all of her victims. I wanted to curse this monster farther than Tartarus. I wanted the world to fix itself, without my help, without the demand of my sister, my cousin, my friends, my allies. I didn't want this role anymore—I never did—this power to ruin and save so many lives.

I just wanted to be _left_ alone.

I felt something inside of me stir awake.

A ploom of energy that might've been in an eternal sleep had I left it alone. And I should have. It thrummed through my veins and sizzled my fingertips, this familiarity I could not conceive. It was like an old friend long forgotten, one I used to know. And I wanted it. I wanted it as much as I wanted to _get __rid of it._

And yet, I didn't care that it felt wrong. Or that it felt right, too. I didn't even care as Medusa's screams echoed in the caverns of mist. I smelled the burning flesh wading the air, watched the embers disappear like fireflies in the brightest, boldest suns as her skin and snakes singed away into nothing. I didn't care because it was a part of me, and I knew it. But I didn't understand it.

It terrified me.

The burst of fiery light did not wane, but intensified. Strange symbols burned in the air, dancing around me. This wasn't godly power—this was _mine__._ This secret of my soul I only just discovered. It burned away the mist and shadows, all in wisps and tendrils of divine light until the sun shone. For all of its mysteries and terrors, it was rather helpful in eliminating the impaired eyesight factor, all the unnecessary mist.

Then the ship caught on fire, and I reconsidered the thought.

Just as quickly the strange power left, leaving me nauseous and in the care of a rapidly burning ship and two extremely confused demigods. Wait, make that three. Can't forget about myself.

But I couldn't worry about it now. I had to get my sword. I had to get the Ramirez sisters off this boat before either the ship sinks us, the smoke kills, the fire burns us, or the new wave of monsters slaughter us. Either way, it was bad all around.

"What was—?"

"I don't know," I cut Reyna off in a hurry. I grabbed my sword that lay abandoned nearby, willing it back into a ring, and snatched Reyna's hand, commanding her to take Hylla's. They protested, but I couldn't care less at the moment as I summoned the shadows to my will. "Right now we need to leave. This ship is going down."

"Wait!" Reyna pointed to the ship next to us full of monsters. "We can't get to shore, but they can!"

I put a halt to the gradually collecting shadows. Reyna was right. Even if I managed to get all of us back to the docks, the monsters from the sister ship could still follow without cause and kill us anyway. We won't be safe without that ship destroyed.

A look passed between the sisters, and some selfish part of me wished I was on the other end of it instead of Hylla. "Cannons," they said in unison.

"What?" I feel like I've been asking that one too many times today to be healthy. Wearily, I followed their eyes to the humongous cannons lining the deck. An undignified shrill of excitement escaped me. _"Cannons."_

This has turned into a rather strange morning.

"Reyna, Nico, I want you two to cover me while I man the cannons, understood?" Hylla ordered like a true captain would.

"Hold up!" I would've done the universal sign for it too if one of my arms weren't broken. "Why can't I fire the cannon?"

"Because it's my ship," Hylla answered matter-of-factly. "And you can't man a cannon with one arm."

"This isn't your ship," I said, "it's the pirates'. And you need two people to man the cannons."

Hylla took a good, hard look at me, scrutinizing me with her dark eyes. "I have seen bold boys like you crash and burn, Nico di Angelo. I can only hope you won't take us with you."

Without another word, she darted to the nearest cannon, her black braid swaying behind her like a banner of war.

The cannon fitted to the side of the deck was bulky and criminally immobile, equipped with heavy cannonballs. It was probably used for shorter range if I had to take an educated guess—perfect for the current target at hand. I sat in the gunner's seat while Hylla hefted the heavy ammo into the compartment, locking and loading it. Behind us, Reyna stabbed and dodged every which way, of course, holding her own without any additional help. But the hordes of monsters from the neighboring ship just kept inviting themselves on board, now that Medusa was… well, whatever she was.

_Ash. Nothingness. Fireflies fading into the brightest suns._

My hand shook at the thought. The _thing_ inside of me that chose to reveal itself. The divine light I never knew I possessed. Was it another power I acquired from Hestia's blessing? It certainly didn't feel that way. There was no flood of warmth and comfort—just mystery and a wrongness I didn't know I could feel. _What other secrets are you hiding?_ I thought bitterly—mostly to myself, the part of me that was still the little boy I used to be. Before Bianca's death. Before the Lethe. The part of me I will never remember. _Maybe it's better if I don't remember at all._

I pushed the troubling thoughts to the back of my mind _again,_ focusing on the task at hand. I coughed as a bit of smoke seared my lungs, but I managed to adjust the grip of the cannon with my still intact arm to the general space of the other ship's hull. I fashioned a sort of makeshift lever system rather quickly, tying some excess rope to my good wrist and around the handles to steer with one arm and twice the coordination. _Valdez would be proud._

"FIRE!" Hylla sparked a rope, I think, and it blasted a cannonball right into the sweet spot of the ship. Monsters were screaming in a frenzy as a fire ignited on the side of the mast. I couldn't help but smile devilishly. It was truly glorious to watch.

I adjusted the cannon again, aiming for the platform acting as a bridge between the two ships, where the monsters were concentrating to get a taste for our godly blood. Hylla sparked another rope. "FIRE!" She screamed once more.

It missed by a good couple inches, but managed to scrape underneath the planked walkway, successfully tearing it to shreds and doing the trick.

"Hylla!" We turned to find Reyna getting flanked by both sides—monsters and flames alike. She can't hold them off forever. We need to get off this boat and _fast._

"I can teleport you off the boat," I said desperately. " I can get the both of you safely to the harbor."

"No!" Hylla protested. "We have to end this! I will not let the monsters who hijacked my ship go walking!" Did stubbornness run in their family?

I sighed. I could already imagine my obituary: _He listened to the Ramirez girl. He pelted the other one with jelly beans. He wanted to fire a cannon on a burning ship. He shouldn't have._

"How much more damage can we possibly do?" I asked incredulously, but I was seeing it now: The fire on the hull of the ship had already been put out, and minions were working tirelessly and relentlessly in repairing it.

"One more shot!" Hylla commanded. She wasn't going to back down, I knew just by one look on her fierce face. "Make it count, hero!"

I grumbled something about seeing if she could move a cannon this stingy, though I still examined the ship for its weakest point. I already tried the hull, and that proved to be a bust. The deck, I doubted would make much of an impact, but luckily the bridge was still crashing against the grey tides. If I wanted to do some real damage to this ship, I would need to strike it at its source. _The engine. The ship is motorized. _

"Hylla, do you know where the engine might be on the ship? Can you see it?" I called over my shoulder.

She looked up, another cannonball already loaded. "I don't think we hit it yet!" She yelled over the roaring flames, hacking from the rapidly increasing smoke. "Try the middle?"

I adjusted accordingly, praying to Hestia this would work. _A trick shot through the smoke,_ I thought. _Let's hope I can make one._

"FIRE!" We watched in suspended silence as the cannonball moved in slow motion. The smoke seemed to part for the cannon, and wisps and shadows danced over the grey water as it soared. I watched in a mixture of horror and delight as the cannonball caught _even more _fire, and it was almost as if someone doused it in the flames of the Phelegethon. When it hit the ship, it missed the engine—but it didn't matter. Because the ship was sinking now, with a gigantic hole gustling water out of its side.

Then the ship disappeared beneath the silvery waves, never to be seen again.

…

We caught our breaths, wheezing from the inhalation of smoke. I managed to shadow travel us out alright, and a good thing too, since the pirate ship vanished as soon as we turned our heads. But my arm throbbed in ways I didn't know it could throb, and I knew the jump couldn't have helped the broken bones heal.

"How did you… how did you do that?" Reyna asked. She was staring dubiously at the thicket of shadows we came out of, as if she couldn't comprehend how they ever moved in the first place. The only trace of disturbance was the shiver of a stray shadow, and it clawed out into the shard of sunlight with its wispy fingers, but just as quickly retreated back to the pool of darkness.

Before I could answer, my back was shoved against the mossy brick of a darkened alley, Hylla's sword threateningly pressed against my throat. _"Inimicus,"_ she hissed in Latin. _Enemy._

"I'm not your enemy," I insisted as calmly as one could at sword point. "I'm just different. Different doesn't have to mean bad."

"And the _different_ instincts I sense whenever you are near?"

"Not your instincts. _There's."_ The Greek and Roman Gods' instincts—their hatred for each other in particular.

"Whose?"

This was getting too close to the secret of the pantheons, one I wasn't sure either sister would be ready to hear. So I tried to work my way around the complicated question with a more satisfying one.

"You think you and I are the first to stumble across each other? You think there weren't others? Others who felt the same instincts you and I feel?" I questioned. "If I wanted to kill you, I would've left you to die."

She leaned in closer, her dark eyes blazing. "So, why didn't you?"

_"Sociis," _I whispered in the Dead Language.

"And why," Hylla asked, "do you think we could _ever_ be allies?"

"I don't believe in senseless killing," I said honestly. "And I'm certainly not going to determine if I should kill you or not by a stupid instinct I feel. Instincts like that are reserved for monsters—nothing more."

Reyna emerged from behind her sister, a shadow strewn across her face. "You said you were different. What differences would you say we have, Nico?"

I stared at her, and I wished I could ask that question myself. I wished I could ask that question to all the Greeks and Romans who hated each other without sense or reason, to all the Gods of the pantheons and their forgotten three thousand year old feud.

"I think you need to find that answer out for yourself."

"Should I hate you?" Reyna asked suddenly. I knew what she really meant by that question. There was a reason the Greeks and Romans had a blinding hatred for each other, a reason that was instilled in them before they even existed in order to keep the existence of other pantheon a secret. A kill or be killed kind of instinct that most—especially the bloodthirsty—just couldn't resist. The mess was always cleaned up afterwards by altering the memories of the survivors. But I was surprised they didn't act upon it until now, even if Reyna had an abundance of self control compared to most.

Still, I thought about the task I, the Angel of the Prophecy of the Seven, had to partake, and how I failed miserably. I fell short when I tried to close the Doors of Death. I managed to stumble into Gaea's clutches, her precious butterfly bait that led the Seven right to her. I lied to the people I cared about, including Reyna. I was too weak to shadow travel the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half Blood in time, even with Reyna's assistance. But worst of all, I couldn't unite the two pantheons. Gaea and her Giants won, and the Greeks and the Romans—_Reyna's people_ paid the price because of it.

_Should I hate you?_

I looked away, unable to meet her eyes. "Not for the reasons you'd imagine."

The Daughter of Bellona stared at me for a long moment, studying me. "You're not talking about the jelly bean incident, are you?" The way she asked, I got the feeling she knew there was more to the picture than I was letting on. A rather large, very crude, impossibly confusing picture.

"You're not mad about that?" I asked hurriedly, taking the opportunity to make a segway in the conversation.

"Reyna doesn't get mad," Hylla said earnestly. "She gets even."

I willed my sword to turn into a ring, thumbing it onto my finger with great difficulty. "That makes two of us."

Hylla was watching me closely, her stare unwavering, an unreadable expression on her face. Reluctantly, she released me and said, "You are not like any 10 year old I've ever met."

I held back a smile. "I get that a lot."

"I'm sure you do." Then, without warning, she yanked me real close and said, "You may not be at the edge of my sword anymore, but make no mistake—I am still _very_ dangerous."

I nodded thoughtfully. "I'll keep that in mind, as long as you keep in mind I don't need two functioning limbs to wreak havoc."

Behind us, Reyna raised an eyebrow. "I don't think he's lying."

"Oh, I'm sure he isn't," Hylla barked a laugh. "A midget with four severed limbs floundering about like a fish out of water is sure to scare the monsters away well enough."

I frowned. What happened to the missing limbs?"

"Who said they were missing?"

"You did."

"Oh, you misunderstood me," Hylla sighed. "I merely meant they weren't severed off completely. Makes them incredibly dysfunctional, all that dead weight dragged around with your blubber chin and that big head of yours."

"I would not want to be your murder victim," I muttered, recoiling slightly. I've never heard someone talk about merciless violence so casually before. Except, of course, me, Persephone, and serial killers—but usually they don't talk about these sorts of things so openly.

"Trust me," Reyna said, "you would not want to be her victim. Period. Murder or no."

"Rest assured, I will be sleeping well tonight with those splendidly graphic images engraved in my skull," I said dryly.

An awkward silence hung over the dark alley after that, neither of us knowing what to do now. Which was funny, actually. Reyna and Hylla were both very capable people and headstrong leaders, and yet there was just an aching quiet from all of us. A stalemate. I couldn't just take them to Camp Jupiter. I doubted the current Praetors would take them in without letters of recommendation, even if they are the daughters of a war goddess, one of the most important beliefs the conquering Romans value.

I could, however, take them to the Wolf House. Though I wasn't sure I would have enough energy to do it, after the tiresome shadow jump to California and the boat. I had to remind myself I didn't have the exertion I used to as a 14 year old. I was 10 now, with flimsy chicken arms and interesting abilities that didn't quite mesh well with my happy-go-lucky persona.

And yet, I stubbornly persisted—which was getting kind of annoying, even for me. "I can try to take you two to the Wolf House to train with Lupa," I said tiredly, and I tried not to pay attention to the way my eyes drooped. "It isn't too far from here, and you can travel the rest of the way yourselves to Camp."

"Camp?" Hylla asked.

"Camp Jupiter," I clarified. "The only place that is safe for people like us." One of _two_ places that is safe for people like _you._ "You can enlist in the Legion in different Cohorts, and you can serve for about 10 years before you are able to retire to New Rome's homes, shops, colleges, etc. Basically, they take care of you."

"And this camp, where can you find it?"

"You don't exactly find it until you are summoned to the Wolf House," I explained. "Lupa, the Wolf Goddess will teach you basic survival skills that will help you thrive in the army, wilderness, and more before you're sent off to find the camp."

"Lupa, as in _the_ Lupa who trained Romulus and Remus?" Reyna asked.

"Yeah," I said confidently. Thank the Gods I've touched up on my Roman lore recently. "She's been training demigods for the last couple thousands of years after the twins."

"This Wolf House, can you take my sister to it?" There was something about the way Hylla asked that set warning bells off in my mind, because I've heard it all before. And that scared me.

"Well, yes, but—"

"And this camp, will they accept her?"

"Yeah, probably—"

"Then my work is done here."

A moment of silence passed. "...What?"

"Hylla?" Fear trembled in Reyna's voice, the last syllable in the unspoken question disappearing with a waver. She switched to Spanish and fired away at her sister, flailing her arms in a strangely similar manner I do when I'm upset. I kept a respectful distance away at the bench I was sitting at earlier, understanding this was a conversation they needed to have alone.

I just hoped it wouldn't turn out like _my_ conversation went, and if it did… Well, I hope grudges don't run in the Ramirez family.

The argument went on for about 10 minutes, and by the end of it, the Ramirez sisters were quieter and colder than the dead of winter. I heard no tears that were shed by either sister, and I didn't know if they were just quiet about it, or if they held themselves together better than I ever could. But I guess it didn't really matter. I didn't need to understand any words or see any faces to know how the conversation ended. I was just sorry I ever brought up the subject of camp in the first place.

And now, it would seem I'm not the only kid who's lost an older sister.

"Nico."

I turned around, taking my leave from the quiet atmosphere of the bench, though it was nowhere near calm, even with the sound of the waves crashing the sand of the harbor. Hylla held her head high in the mid-day sun, which was unusually bright and cheery for such a somber moment in the dark alley. Reyna, on the other hand, kept her stubbornly eyes trained on the planked boardwalk.

"Nico, I need you to take my sister to the Wolf House. Can you do it?" I stared at Hylla, and I was surprised by the sheer resentment I felt towards her.

I pretended to not to feel it, but this particular situation reminded me too much of before, when Bianca was wayward and I was a burden she wouldn't take. Here was another protective older sister abandoning a younger sibling in a cruel world, leaving them alone to the wolves. What was the point? What was the point of showing all that love and protectiveness, only to snatch it away and leave without as much as a goodbye? It was pointless. All that could come from it was a charade of guilty grudges and long-overdue apologies.

Pointless.

Except it wasn't, was it? I got Bianca back, and it was because she _wanted_ to come back. But this, I knew, would not turn out the same way. Reyna would need to grow from this into something stronger than steel—just as I did—hopefully into the amazing leader the world will need her to be, not into some depressed teenager who felt alone and ostracized for too many years.

"I'll take her to the Wolf House," I promised quietly. "Where will you go?"

Hylla looked off somewhere into the distance. "To the Amazons," she said wistfully. "Specifically the ones that run . I hear there is a specific job opening I am interested in."

I raised an eyebrow. "Job opening?"

"To be Queen of the Amazons and run the company, of course."

I nodded. Sounds a lot like the golden opportunity Bianca took a week ago to become a Hunter of Artemis. It was even worse to think I knew Hylla would get the job, and convincing her to live the crappy life of a demigod instead of the luxurious life of a queen is otherwise futile. Still, it couldn't hurt to try.

"Are you sure you want to leave your sister like this?" I asked. "There's some mistakes you can't take back, and this might be one of them."

I thought Hylla would tell me it's none of my business, or try to gut me with her pirate sword, but she simply said, "Reyna is strong. Soon she won't need me anymore."

As much as I wanted to deny it for Reyna's sake, I couldn't argue with the truth in that statement.

"Hylla…" Reyna started, but her sister interrupted her before she could finish the words. _She's saying goodbye,_ I thought, as I watched Hylla mutter a few words in Spanish to her little sister quietly, a hand on her shoulder, a kiss on her cheek. Then she disappeared into the crowd of people passing by, another nameless face among the hundreds of others.

…

We sat down on the bench, staring out at the grey water. Reyna was quiet, her eyes fixed on something I couldn't see beyond the reef. The mist had receded, giving way to a busy harbor of ships and tourists and people down by the beach. It made me wonder if the water was freezing or not, but I was under no circumstances going to check. I wanted to talk to Reyna, to assure her she can rise from this experience instead of sink in it like I once did. But I couldn't find the words I needed to say. So we just sat there in what I liked to think was a comfortable silence.

"Your ring," Reyna spoke up suddenly, her eyes still fixed beyond the reef. "Where did you get it?"

"What?" My hands flew to my silver skull ring, and with no surprise did I realize I was twisting it again. I stared at the glinting silver in the sunlight, wondering if I should answer. Finally, I said, "My sister gave it to me."

Which was true. It was a gift from her in the last timeline.

"Is she…?"

"Dead? No." I shook my head. _Not anymore__._ "It's just very special to me."

"It turns into your sword," she noted. So she was definitely paying attention—which was nothing new. "I've never seen a blade like that before. All pitch black. No reflection."

I tried to steer clear of the unspoken question of what unique metal the sword was, finding the answer would hit too far home to my secret parentage. "It came to me when I needed it most. Whoever sent it was looking out for me that day."

"Monster attack?"

The memory of Luke's icy gaze suddenly flashed before my eyes, the stare that lured so many demigods to their deaths with pathetic promises and lovely lies. It was disturbing how desperate those ice eyes looked when they were on me, how I shook on my knees with Backbiter pointed to my chest, and the scary truth he really did believe Kronos could make the world better. Luke Castellan, a monster who looked like one of us and used to be once one of us. The worst kind of monsters are the ones with a good reason, and Luke may have had the best reason of all.

"Something like that."

Reyna nodded. Then there was silence.

I hesitated. "I, uh… I know what you're going through."

The Daughter of Bellona frowned. "No, you don't," she said stiffly. "Don't sit here and pretend you do just to make me feel better."

I should've been mad, and yet, I wasn't. Not really. If Reyna was anything like I used to know her, then I could take a guess she was probably more angry at herself than she was at her sister, or even me. And if that was the case, she wasn't planning to open up about it anytime soon—if ever. I know it wasn't my business, but after keeping all of that weight on my shoulders for years without telling anyone, I didn't want Reyna to go through the same thing.

"My older sister ditched me a week ago to join an immortal group of huntresses that swear off the company of men."

The words left my mouth before I had time to think it through.

Reyna froze, then she turned her gaze away from the grey water to me. I kept my eyes on a little boy's toy boat making tiny ripples in the water down by the beach. I wanted to be that boy again so very, very much.

"We both held grudges. Neither of us wanted to apologize after I screamed at her about it." A bitter laugh escaped me. "Then she almost died trying to get an _I'm sorry_ gift for me. It was a stupid mythomagic figurine. I felt like crap about it. I think we both did." I finally met Reyna's eyes. "You know, it's funny how near-death experiences can remind you how much you care about someone. It took a while, but she quit on her own terms, saying she needed me as much as I needed her. We came to an understanding after that. We stick together now."

She was quiet for a moment, processing my words. Then she asked, "What's her name?"

"...Bianca."

She nodded in what might have been approval. "Bianca seems like a good sister, coming back to you after all that."

"Hylla seems like a good sister, too," I pointed out.

Reyna stiffened. "She's gone. She said her goodbyes. There's nothing to talk about."

I shrugged, feigning indifference. "If you insist." I reached into my coat pocket for the near empty bag of jelly beans. There couldn't have been more than 10 beans in the bag, stuck to the creases of the crumpled plastic. Most of them were green, much to my disappointment, but I saw a glimmer of hope—two purple jelly beans still survived the dangerous encounter.

Reyna noticed me struggling to open the bag with one hand. Wordlessly, she helped me. I reached into the bag for the two grapes, presenting them to her. "Personally," I said with a ghost of a smile, "I prefer the purple ones. Grape is, in my professional opinion, superior to all flavors—jelly bean or no. Here." I handed her one of the grape beans. "You look like you need it more than I do."

Reyna's lips tugged up into a convincing smile, a victory more rewarding than any quest I could ever complete. "Professional opinion, huh?"

"I have a very credible source."

We popped the grape flavored beans in our mouths, both of us nodding in satisfaction. "I have to ask: Who or what is your source? They or it definitely knows the jelly bean market well."

I winked. "They're one of the best sources out there, I promise."

"I'll find them one day."

"Oh, I'm sure you will." I shoved the rest of the jelly beans into Reyna's hand. "Now that the life-threatening situation is over, I have no use for them anymore. I think you'll find the other colors besides the greens are delicious."

The future Praetor of New Rome raised an eyebrow in question. "No more heads that need warnings?"

I shook my head. "No more warnings to be made—for now, at least."

Suddenly, I felt the atmosphere change into something sadder. Reyna looked down at the bag in her hand with something like fondness in her eyes. "My sister and I used to eat jelly beans at the front doorsteps of our childhood home, watching our street come alive at night." She paused. "I didn't have many fond memories growing up in the life I did. That was the exception."

"Bianca and I used to watch funny movies in our hotel room, eating popcorn and chocolate." I shook my head at the ridiculousness of it all. "We were so happy then, and we didn't even know it. Those times, me and her just smiling for the dumbest reasons? One of the only happy memories I have left to cherish. The rest… I don't have any memories of my childhood anymore. They're gone."

Reyna perked up. "Amnesia?"

I twisted my ring. "You could say that."

Another moment of silence passed. "She was right, you know. About you being strong and all that," I said. "Pretty soon, you're not going to need her anymore. Trust me, I know."

"And this is coming from the boy who got his sister back?"

"This is coming from the boy who didn't." I remembered the cold brush of Bianca's translucent fingers on my cheek, wiping away my tears. She didn't come back, not really. The girl who came to me was nothing but a whisper of my sister's departed soul.

I ran a hand over my tired face. "Just because we need them, Reyna, doesn't mean we can have them. Sometimes sisters leave. Sometimes it ruins us completely," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But you have to understand we are warriors just as much as we are broken. We learn to put the pieces back together and keep fighting. That's what makes us stronger. And it's going to make you stronger, too."

"Why didn't Hylla stay?" Reyna whispered. I don't think I've ever seen her this vulnerable before. Then again, I guess the cold exterior of the Daughter of Bellona didn't exist until New Rome. "Why did she have to leave?"

I sighed. "I can't answer that question, Reyna. I can only tell you I used to ask myself the same thing, and it got me nowhere. You can't let this ruin you. You need to move on. Take it from me, I know."

"But Hylla—"

"Is gone," I cut in. "You tried your best, but it was out of your control—it still is. You need to accept that. You need to move on. It's not worth it, asking yourself the same questions over and over, wondering what went wrong, forgetting to live. I know it. I've seen it. I've been it." I looked Reyna in the eyes. "Don't make the same mistake I did. _Move on."_

Reyna didn't say anything for a while, mulling over my advice, watching me intently with an emotion I couldn't read. After a moment, she spoke. "Your sister was away far longer than a week, wasn't she?"

I looked away, finding it hard to answer that without revealing my complicated history. "Just promise me you'll keep what I said in mind, okay?"

"You should know, Nico, in this life it doesn't do to keep promises." She hesitated. "But I… I'll keep it in mind. Thank you. I needed that."

I nodded. "Well, if that's all, I think I'm going to go grab a cup of well deserved hot chocolate. Care to join me?"

Reyna gave me a suspicious glance but rose from the wooden bench, taking her jelly beans with her. "I thought we were taking me to the Wolf House?"

"We are," I said. "But I'm tired, and I need my strength back to do it. Delicious chocolatey caffeine is, in my experience, the best way to wake me up."

"You never did tell me how you moved the shadows."

I shrugged, lying smoothly. "Your guess how I did that is as good as mine."

"Have you been claimed?"

"No. Have you?"

"No."

"Something else we have in common." It came out more bitter than intended.

Reyna merely hummed in agreement, and we made our way to the café on the boardwalk in silence.

…

"This is as far as I can take you." We were standing in the middle of a clearing, the evening sun casting a golden glow in between the spots of gaps in the overhang of leaves and shadows. Somewhere far to the left the ruins of the Wolf House would come into view.

Reyna didn't say anything, her eyes trained on a thicket of branches that led to the ancient home of wolves. I wondered if she was feeling the pull to it, the calling all Roman demigods get to train with Lupa.

After grabbing a cup of hot chocolate, we went to a local department store to get Reyna a change of clothes. It was only luck I found a nice aviator jacket there, one that looked almost exactly like the one I used to have, and I paid for it in a heartbeat. Along the way, we replenished our stock of jelly beans, making sure to purchase the extra large sized bags.

Overall, I had the most fun I've had in awhile, which most people would've considered a train wreck. But that was the life of a demigod, I guess. It wasn't everyday you run into your best friend and have a depressing but enlightening conversation about sisterly abandonment. And fire a cannon, of course.

Still, I was dreading how my overprotective friends and sister would react to my broken arm, and all the questions they might have I very well can't answer.

"I guess this is goodbye then," Reyna said, holding out her hand to shake. "Thank you for bringing me here, even if your methods of travel are… _questionable."_

"I know it probably isn't what you want to hear right now, but I… I really am sorry," I said quietly.

Reyna pursed her lips and looked away. "It was out of both of our control."

She didn't have to say it—I knew what she meant. The feeling of helplessness and caving in, the wave of fear that made your legs tremble and your ears buzz. Because no matter what you did, no matter what you said, absolutely nothing would change the outcome. I've known that feeling a lot lately. Bianca leaving. Zoë dying. Gods forsaking. Gaea winning. The realization crashing in and stealing the breath from your lungs. A feeling I will never get used to, I'm afraid.

_Little Angel, why do you still fight?_

_It can be done. But us Gods? We can't do it._

_You're telling me I came all this way for nothing?_

_I'll find a way. I don't know how, but I'll figure something out._

"Reyna, I need you to listen to me very carefully," I said, my voice pained and distant. "One day you're going to meet someone who is different. Like me. Don't fight them. Don't turn them away. Respect them. Unite with them. Soon you're going to realize you need them as much as they need you."

"Different," she repeated suspiciously. "Like you. Let me guess, they won't all be as friendly as you? Whoever _they_ are?"

I looked away. "No. They won't. But this one will be." _Hopefully Percy won't have a change of heart in this timeline either._

Reyna's stare was unrelenting, unraveling, unearthing. "That funny feeling I get whenever you are around—you know why I have it. What aren't you telling me?"

I twisted my skull ring. "Some things are best left unsaid, Reyna. You'll know why one day. Hopefully before it's too late. I just… I'm sorry you had to be dragged into this, but it has to be you."

"Not good enough," Reyna said. "You're hiding something. I want to know what."

I shook my head, suddenly feeling very, very guilty. "I'm sorry, but it's for your own good."

Reyna curled her hands into fists, her knuckles white, her eyes trained on the forest floor. "I told you things I've told no one else, and you can't tell me this?"

I froze. Out of all the things she's said to me today, that one hit me the hardest. Reyna, the fierce girl I knew who held it together when everything else fell apart—who held _me_ together when I was falling apart, I cannot tell this secret to, the words that might save the world before the end of it starts.

_It's too early,_ the stupidly rational part of me thought. _It's too much to handle, even for her. She'll be killed if anyone finds out she knows._

But I have to give her _something. _

I started fishing into my pocket before I could think better of it. When I found it, I slipped it into her hand. A golden Drachma. A dangerous clue.

She frowned, studying it. "What's this?"

"Penance. Compensation. A clue to what's coming. Call it what you want," I said briskly. "I can't give you anything more."

Reyna paled suddenly. "Are these inscriptions in… Greek?"

"Two Summers from now, I want you to toss this coin into a rainbow and repeat these words, 'Oh, Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, show me Nico di Angelo' and I will answer," I explained. "I'll tell you everything."

Two years from now should be enough time to prepare her for the Second Gigantomachy, and what to expect from the "different" demigod that comes to Camp Jupiter. Anything earlier than that would be too soon. I have to wait until she's elected Praetor of New Rome before she can truly understand the necessity of uniting the Greco-Roman Pantheon.

"What are you—?"

"Don't show this coin to anyone. Don't even think about it if you can help it," I warned. I don't need any pesky Gods like Terminus reading her mind. "Remember what I said. If anyone asks, we never had this conversation. We never met."

I darted towards some denser shadows underneath a tree, summoning them to my will to take me back to the forest in Camp Half-Blood. It's almost dinner time, and Annabeth would be expecting me back by now.

"Wait."

I stopped short.

"You said the coin was a warning of some kind," she said, watching me closely with her piercing stare. "What for?"

The shadows were swirling around me now in a sea of darkness, but I spared her one last truth as the world of color disappeared. "The end."

**A/N:**

**Hey, guys, I hope you liked the chapter! Sorry if Reyna and Hylla are a little OC. I tried to write Reyna as a girl who is kinda sheltered by Hylla and hasn't gotten the chance to really grow into the Praetor we all know and love, then descending into something colder and more unsure when trying to deal with the aftermath of her sister leaving her. I also really tried to stay true to the character, writing her as closed off after the stuff that went down with her dad and the secrets she can't tell. Hylla... I don't know what happened with that. I guess I've just been into dark humor lately. And sharks. **

**Overall, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter with all the jelly beans and cannons, and the dialogue between Nico and Reyna (let's be honest here they have an amazing friendship that is so underrated). But it was a lot more than I expected I would write. Like, a lot more dialogue. If you're wondering why I didn't reveal the secrets of the Pantheons to Reyna, honestly I don't have a super good reason. But I went with my gut and it didn't feel right to reveal it this early. So, I didn't.**

**Anyway, next chapter is the last one of this book! I've already come up with a name for the next book, and I'll be posting the last chapter of this book and the first chapter of the second book simultaneously so you guys don't have to wait! Stay safe, everyone! **

**-Echo**


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